The 71st running of the 24 Hours of Spa will go down in history because of the execrable track conditions and also because of the victory of fledgling team, GPX Racing! Although supported by Porsche, which had given the squad three of its best works drivers, all world title winners, the outfit managed by Pierre-Brice Mena wasn’t among the hot favourites. It could only count on a few months’ experience in the Blancpain GT Series and with the 911 GT3 R to take the fight to the benchmark teams in the championship. But Michael Christensen, Kévin Estre and Richard Lietz fought at the front from start to finish and gave the German manufacturer its first victory in the Ardennes classic since 2010!

GPX Racing laid down a marker right from practice. The combined efforts of its three drivers put the #20 Porsche among the 20 cars – out of 72 entries – into the Superpole shoot-out. Estre clinched 11th place on the grid and then set the fastest time in night practice, which gave the team’s motivation a huge boost.

It began to rain before the start and Kévin immediately began to carve his way up to the front of the pack. The French driver picked off his rivals one by one and finished his first stint in the lead! #20 continued to battle it out with the other top teams, but the squad was handed a penalty during a pit stop. Luckily, it managed to pull back the time lost, in particular by taking advantage of a neutralisation to carry out the obligatory 5-minute technical stop.

In the early morning the race was interrupted because of heavy rain. When battle resumed for the last five hours of the event, GPX Racing was well placed to take part in the final sprint provided, of course, it didn’t make any mistakes. The drivers’ speed, their inspiration in the pack and the pertinence of the strategic decisions worked wonders and at 16:30 the Porsche in the famous Gulf colours crossed the finishing line as the winner!

Pierre-Brice Mena: “I haven’t yet fully realised what’s happened. A month ago we didn’t even know if we would be doing this race. When we turned up at the 24 Hours of Spa with such a driver line-up we knew we could do a good job. But there were so many parameters! We made a great start to the race and then we had a drive-through. Above all, we had to avoid falling a lap behind. We fought our way back among the few teams capable of winning in the final hours. When you have such an opportunity to go for victory you have to grasp it with both hands and not be content with second place. We were never able to relax with the traffic and the battle right to the end with the other victory contenders, the incredibly tricky track conditions, etc. But not one technical issue. A big thanks to Porsche, to the team and to all our partners for this extraordinary moment!”

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/dubai-based-gpx-racing-win-24-hours-of-spa/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/08/Dubai-based-GPX-racing-3-featured.jpgimage/jpegOne-off Ferrari P80/C revealed – based on the 488 GT3https://www.crankandpiston.com/one-off-ferrari-p80-c-revealed-based-on-the-488-gt3/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/one-off-ferrari-p80-c-revealed-based-on-the-488-gt3/#respondWed, 27 Mar 2019 10:38:42 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=133329After four year of development, Ferrari has revealed its latest one-off creation based on the turbocharged V8 488 GT3 racer Another month, another Ferrari one-off commission. The brief this time was to create a ‘modern Sports Prototype’ inspired by models such as the iconic 330 P3/P4 and Dino 206 S of the 1960s. Ferrari says that the […]

Another month, another Ferrari one-off commission. The brief this time was to create a ‘modern Sports Prototype’ inspired by models such as the iconic 330 P3/P4 and Dino 206 S of the 1960s.

Ferrari says that the development process for the track-only model was the longest for any one-off in the brand’s history, with the project beginning in 2015 and the final car surfacing four years later. Ferrari’s ‘Styling Centre’ and engineering teams set to work on the model, with the brief to create an original interpretation of the Sports Prototype concept.

Most one-off Ferrari models are reworked road cars, with the original car usually distinguishable despite drastic remodelling. The P80/C is different, being based on the track-only 488 GT3 and featuring such an extreme redesign that it looks more like the LaFerrari-based FXX-K than a 488. Even the wheelbase hasn’t avoided modification, with a 50mm extension over that of the 488 GTB. This is partly down to the fact that performance was an important factor for this car, and so aerodynamics had to be functional.

Despite such an extreme rework of the design over the 488 GT3 it’s based on, the P80/C retains the features that make the 488 GT3 such an accomplished machine. The GT chassis means the cockpit sits further forward in comparison to the standard road car, giving it a more aggressive stance. All bodywork on the car is carbon fibre, too, and finished in a bright red shade named Rosso Vero by the customer.

Though powertrain details haven’t been confirmed, the car is likely to feature the same twin-turbo 3.9-litre V8 as the 488 GT3, producing around 600bhp and exceeding 500ft lb of torque.

Harking back to the Maranello icons of the 1960s, the one-off’s most dominant feature is its wedge shaped front end, with sweeping buttresses merging into the air intakes at the rear and a tinted wraparound windscreen also making an appearance. As it’s not destined for the road, designers had the freedom to ditch elements mandatory on a road car, with almost no headlights present and only simple LED tail lights, similar to those found on the FXX-K, seen at the rear.

A ‘catamaran’ style architecture makes for almost completely exposed internals at the back, too, aiding in weight reduction and cooling while accentuating the aggressive rear diffuser. The engine cover features aluminium louvres, referencing the 330 P3/P4.

Ferrari hasn’t provided a price tag for the project, but being a one-off with the longest development time in the brand’s history, we can’t imagine it will have been awfully cheap.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/one-off-ferrari-p80-c-revealed-based-on-the-488-gt3/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/03/One-off-Ferrari-P80-C-revealed-1-featured-1.jpgimage/jpegPorsche previews modern-day 917 concepthttps://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-previews-modern-day-917-concept/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-previews-modern-day-917-concept/#respondTue, 12 Mar 2019 13:06:48 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=133006Porsche will reveal a modern-day interpretation of the Porsche 917 Le Mans racer to celebrate its 50th anniversary Porsche has previewed a modern-day interpretation of the Le Mans-winning 917 racer to mark its 50th anniversary, which will be revealed at the Porsche Museum in Leipzig. Although details are scarce, links to the road-going 918 Spyder of 2013 can […]

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Porsche has previewed a modern-day interpretation of the Le Mans-winning 917 racer to mark its 50th anniversary, which will be revealed at the Porsche Museum in Leipzig.

Although details are scarce, links to the road-going 918 Spyder of 2013 can be seen in the same wheel design, oblong headlights and fuel filler cap, but applied to a set of proportions reminiscent of the original racer from 1969, albeit with a toned down take on the original’s distinctive rear overhang. In the initial sketch, it’s painted in a red and white livery inspired by the Porsche Salzburg 1970 Le Mans 24 hours-winning 917, one of the defining schemes made iconic by its racing success.

Unlike the GT2 RS 935 revealed last year to celebrate its the iconic 935/78 ‘Moby Dick’ racer’s 70th birthday, this 917 concept won’t reach production, and rather remain a pure design study. This comes despite the brand’s interest in the incoming ‘Hypercar’ class, although Porsche has not confirmed its commitment to the series.

Porsche will debut the 917 concept at its “Colours of Speed – 50 Years of the 917” exhibition between May 14th and September 15th, honouring the 50th anniversary of the model. It will sit alongside a total of 14 exhibits, including an incredible collection of ten 917 models.

Sparked by a change in regulations for Le Mans, the 917 debuted at the 1969 Geneva motor show with a space-frame chassis, 4.5-litre flat-12, composed of two 2.25-litre Porsche flat-six engines, and a range of titanium and magnesium components, keeping weight to a minimum. The car underwent vast changes during its lifetime to maximise its potential, starting at around 520bhp in 1969 and climbing to in excess of 1000bhp in its most powerful configuration. The car’s staggering power allowed it to sprint from 0-100kph in just 2.3secs in the 917/30 Can-Am variant, and onto a top speed of around 386kph in a test track environment.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-previews-modern-day-917-concept/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/03/Porsche-modern-day-917-concept-1-featured.jpgimage/jpegHardcore heroes: Ariel Atom 245 vs Ariel Nomadhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/hardcore-heroes-ariel-atom-245-vs-ariel-nomad/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/hardcore-heroes-ariel-atom-245-vs-ariel-nomad/#respondSun, 03 Mar 2019 13:45:46 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=132583They might have been designed with very different purposes in mind, but how do the two Ariels compare on track? Ariel makes you question how much car you really need. Back seats? Those are just extra weight, more so if you’re foolish enough to carry more than one other person around with you. Heating? Not necessary. […]

]]>They might have been designed with very different purposes in mind, but how do the two Ariels compare on track?
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Ariel makes you question how much car you really need. Back seats? Those are just extra weight, more so if you’re foolish enough to carry more than one other person around with you. Heating? Not necessary. You dress for a drive in an Ariel much as you might for any other outdoor activity, turning a very long and suspicious eye to the weather before donning as few layers as you think you can get away with for the prevailing conditions. In-car entertainment? You wouldn’t be able to hear it over the wind roar and the howl of the Honda engine behind you, and you’ll probably be wearing a helmet anyway.

And bodywork? What do you think this is, a Caterham? Even the Nomad – with such luxuries as a thin sheet of Perspex to ensure at least some of your face won’t be slathered in mud – allows you to see the front tyres through the exoskeleton and only keeps rain off you if you’re in motion.

Ariel, then, offers minimum-car, maximum hardcore. You’ll find little – possibly nothing – on them that isn’t directly related to either the driving experience or for the boring but necessary subject of legality. So you do get headlights and tail lights, a wiper for the Nomad’s optional windscreen, vestigial cycle fenders over each wheel and a set of number plates.

More importantly, you get an engine. A 2-litre K20Z Honda four-cylinder in the Atom, making 245bhp at a suitably Honda-like 8600rpm, or up to 350bhp with a supercharger in the Atom 3.5R. The Nomad does a little less with a little more, its K24 2.4-litre unit from the US-spec Civic makes ‘only’ 235bhp at 7200rpm, though the clue to its character is not in the power but the torque figure: 221lb ft at 4300rpm being a mite more useable than the regular Atom’s 177lb ft at 7200rpm.

In cars with dry weights of 520kg and 670kg respectively, those outputs are, well, more than enough. The standard 245bhp Atom has a better dry power-to-weight ratio than a Lamborghini Aventador S (479bhp per ton plays 471).

Then there’s the huge list of options to turn your just-about-a-road-car into definitely-a-race-car, from sequential Sadev gearboxes to data loggers, slick tyres and carbonfibre front and rear wings – or rally-spec gravel tyres, a winch and a snorkel if you’re planning more serious off-roading in the Nomad.

Hardcore? Almost too much for the road in the case of the Atom. As a clue to its focus, an Atom has only appeared in evo Car of the Year once, back in 2004, and the weather, wind and grit of north Wales made the experience quite unpleasant for some and meant the Atom narrowly avoided last place – several spots below a Mercedes SLK, of all things. ‘Just glad to get back to the hotel in one piece,’ was how Peter Tomalin put it. Eek.

Yet Atoms have appeared in our Track Car of the Year tests several times, for the reasons you might expect: they’re blisteringly fast, astonishingly grippy and addictively responsive, while bugbears such as a firm ride and a lack of weather protection fade into insignificance when you’re reeling in supercars like they’re superminis.

The Nomad’s trick is combining the Atom’s thrills with more usability. Not in the traditional sense – you probably wouldn’t go shopping in it, though we’d positively encourage the odd sortie for a pint of milk or loaf of bread, particularly if there are a few green lanes between your home and the corner shop – but nor do you need a socket set to adjust the driving position, a full-face helmet to preserve your vision, or an aversion to anything approaching a bump. The Nomad’s long-travel suspension absorbs everything a road can throw at it without ever feeling floaty, and the car also squats, dives and rolls enough to let you know what’s going on underneath you.

As we discovered upon the Nomad’s launch, this extra travel makes even more sense away from tarmac, on the sort of surfaces that even an Impreza might think twice about. Just as the Atom has kept pukka race machines honest in our on-track tests, so the Nomad didn’t lose its shine (metaphorically, at least) when up against WRC Fiestas and Tuthill 911s. Kicking stones in the face of race cars? That’s pretty hardcore.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/hardcore-heroes-ariel-atom-245-vs-ariel-nomad/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/03/Ariel-Atom-245-vs-Ariel-Nomad-1-featured.jpgimage/jpegTechArt reveals 770bhp Porsche 911 Turbo-based GTstreet RShttps://www.crankandpiston.com/techart-reveals-770bhp-porsche-911-turbo-based-gtstreet-rs/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/techart-reveals-770bhp-porsche-911-turbo-based-gtstreet-rs/#respondTue, 26 Feb 2019 08:08:06 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=132349The German tuner has transformed the 991.2 911 Turbo with a new body kit, interior tweaks and more power The last thing on our mind when behind the wheel of a 991.2 Porsche 911 Turbois that it requires more power. With over 530bhp in non-S form pushing it from 0-100kph in under 3 seconds, it’s one […]

]]>The German tuner has transformed the 991.2 911 Turbo with a new body kit, interior tweaks and more power
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The last thing on our mind when behind the wheel of a 991.2 Porsche 911 Turbois that it requires more power. With over 530bhp in non-S form pushing it from 0-100kph in under 3 seconds, it’s one of the fastest accelerating cars on sale. But Porsche tuner TechArt clearly thinks otherwise, working its magic on the model exterior, interior and engine to create the GTstreet RS.

Performance gains come as part of the brand’s Powerkit upgrade, giving the model an extra 190bhp over the standard car thanks to new VTG turbochargers – total output is 770bhp and 678lb fts of torque, which is even more power than the range-topping GT2 RS. The brand claims the model’s new 0-100kph time is 2.5secs, with a top speed of 340kph. To keep weight to a minimum, Techart replaced the standard glass with lightweight Corning Gorilla Glass, and also added their own titanium, valved exhaust system to allow the uprated 6cyl to breathe more freely.

The exterior features a multitude of ‘forged carbonfibre’ components for added downforce and increased cooling for the uprated engine, you certainly won’t mistake a GTstreet RS for a standard 911 Turbo. New elements include some headlight surrounds, front canards, reformed air intakes, side skirts, a new rear diffuser, ram air scoop, active rear wing and more. Forged carbonfibre louvers help cool the brakes and reduce lift, the forged carbonfibre bonnet features NACA air inlets for additional brake cooling and the new centre lock wheels feature aero rings for reduced drag.

Modifications don’t stop there, with the interior trimmed in a new, hard-wearing, fireproof material comprised of wool, leather and alcantara. The material gives the interior a more luxurious, high-end feel and is having its sports car debut in the GTstreet RS, according to TechArt. Each model can be fully customised by the owner, with the ability to paint components such as the drive mode switch, air vents and PDK gear selector in any colour they wish. GTstreet RS stitching, color-matched door pulls and a badge to certify the car’s authenticity and exclusiveness can also be seen – the designated number of each model is also printed in gloss black on the bonnet of each car. A 6-point racing harness is also included.

The model will be shown for the first time at this year’s Geneva motor show, with a rather hefty $165,000 price tag on top of the price of the base car.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/techart-reveals-770bhp-porsche-911-turbo-based-gtstreet-rs/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/02/TechArt-reveals-770bhp-Porsche-1-featured.jpgimage/jpegBentley Bentayga Speed makes debut at Genevahttps://www.crankandpiston.com/bentley-bentayga-speed-makes-debut-at-geneva/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/bentley-bentayga-speed-makes-debut-at-geneva/#respondSun, 17 Feb 2019 09:16:31 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=131999626bhp behemoth is the first SUV to hit 306kph Stand aside Lamborghini: Fellow Volkswagen Group sibling Bentley now offers the fastest production SUV on the planet in the shape of its new Bentley Bentayga Speed. True, we can think of few more pointless exercises, but if the maximum velocity of two-ton vehicles is among your buying criteria, then […]

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Stand aside Lamborghini: Fellow Volkswagen Group sibling Bentley now offers the fastest production SUV on the planet in the shape of its new Bentley Bentayga Speed.

True, we can think of few more pointless exercises, but if the maximum velocity of two-ton vehicles is among your buying criteria, then you should know that the new Bentayga Speed’s 306kph top end is a single mile per hour more than that of a Lamborghini Urus. A rounding error to most, but assuming those in the market don’t just go out and buy one of each, undoubted bragging rights to the victor.

Lamborghini’s SUV is still quicker to 100kph at 3.6 seconds compared to the Bentley’s 3.9sec, but the two brands do at least tread their own path when it comes to delivering such performance. While the Urus packs a twin-turbocharged 4-litre V8, the latest Bentayga Speed uses a development of the existing Bentayga’s 6-litre, twin-turbocharged W12.

In this format the W12 now makes 626bhp, up from the round 600bhp of the regular car, while there’s also 664lb ft of torque on offer. Thankfully, the Speed packs more than just a power increase; a revised Sport mode helps with deploying it to improve both engine and transmission response, and this mode also adjusts the parameters of the Bentley Dynamic Ride suspension.

This system actively controls body roll using a 48v electrical system, while the suspension itself is firmer than that of the standard car. Ceramic brakes – the largest ever fitted to a Bentley, apparently – are optional, shedding five kilos per corner and capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1000 degrees C.

The Bentayga Speed comes with the visual trappings its name suggests too, with previously contrasting trim elements now rendered in body colour, splitters for the front and rear bumpers, and a rear spoiler. Radiator and bumper grilles feature a dark tint, as do the front and rear lights, and a new 22-inch, ten-spoke alloy wheel design is available in a choice of either silver, dark tint, or black.

Inside too the Speed has been subtly reworked compared to its lesser counterparts. Alcantara and carbonfibre trim is available for the first time, some might say an inevitable appearance in the sportiest version, though customers can opt instead for leather if they choose.

Coloured elements pick out details in the seats, door trims and diamond-quilted stitching, and embroidered “Speed” text replaces the optional Bentley wings motif on the seat backs. The “Speed” legend can also be found as a metal plate on the passenger side dash, illuminated in the kick plates, and affixed to the lower edges of the front doors.

The Bentley Bentayga Speed makes its debut at this year’s Geneva motor show, hopefully just outside of glaring range from the Lamborghini stand. A retaliatory Urus is almost inevitable.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/bentley-bentayga-speed-makes-debut-at-geneva/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/02/Bentley-Bentayga-Speed-Geneva-2-featured.jpgimage/jpegVolkswagen Beach Buggy concept revealed as non-ironic attempt at being ‘cool’https://www.crankandpiston.com/vw-beach-buggy-concept-revealed-as-non-ironic-attempt-at-being-cool/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/vw-beach-buggy-concept-revealed-as-non-ironic-attempt-at-being-cool/#respondThu, 31 Jan 2019 14:00:12 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=131617Lithium ion batteries, electric motors and salt water. What could possibly go wrong? Instagram-addicted, vegan millennials rejoice, because Volkswagen has revealed a contemporary take on the original beach-bum VW Beach Buggy, finally a new cult hero for a generation of people who don’t remember a time before broadband internet. Although we’re not sure how they’ll feel about […]

Instagram-addicted, vegan millennials rejoice, because Volkswagen has revealed a contemporary take on the original beach-bum VW Beach Buggy, finally a new cult hero for a generation of people who don’t remember a time before broadband internet. Although we’re not sure how they’ll feel about this VW tearing up fragile seaside ecosystems, albeit silently and with zero exhaust emissions.

This is, of course, deadly serious for Volkswagen – if nothing else an explicit display of the variety of applications its new all-electric MEB platform might go on to underpin. But till the higher-volume I.D models begin to roll out from later this year, VW’s intention is to keep the ‘Buzz’ surrounding its ambitious electrification plans.

What else is visible, despite the dark computerised images, is the new Buggy’s clear link to its fibreglass forebear – although strictly speaking, VW never produced its own version, the original being a designed and built by Californian Bruce Meyers from 1964. There are no doors, side windows or roof, while the near-open wheels sit well clear of the ‘floating’ bodywork. Round headlights and the large contrasting roll-hoop complete the picture, but we’d be confident in saying it won’t have an air-cooled flat-four hanging off the end of the chassis.

VW has a habit of drawing on its past for concept cars, this following the I.D Buzz Concept – the latest rehash of a Volkswagen camper van – not to mention the never-ending saga of the Beetle, but as an exercise in connecting to its past the Beach Buggy concept seems a fun way of displaying its very serious new drivetrain technology.

To be revealed at this year’s Geneva motor show in March, as our march towards the affordable mass-market electric car continues it remains to be seen whether a new-age electric beach buggy will be part of the plan.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/vw-beach-buggy-concept-revealed-as-non-ironic-attempt-at-being-cool/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/01/The_Dune_Buggy_Is_Back_-_And_Now_Its_Electric_Small-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegVolkswagen aims for Nürburgring EV lap record with modified ID Rhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/volkswagen-aims-for-nurburgring-ev-lap-record-with-modified-id-r/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/volkswagen-aims-for-nurburgring-ev-lap-record-with-modified-id-r/#respondTue, 22 Jan 2019 13:16:09 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=131412Following its record-breaking run at Pikes Peak, VW’s ID R is heading for the Nordschleife After breaking the all-time Pikes Peak record in 2017 with a staggering time of 7:57.148, Volkswagen is now set to put an adapted version of its all-electric ID R supercar around the Nürburgring in an attempt to smash the EV lap record […]

]]>Following its record-breaking run at Pikes Peak, VW’s ID R is heading for the Nordschleife
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After breaking the all-time Pikes Peak record in 2017 with a staggering time of 7:57.148, Volkswagen is now set to put an adapted version of its all-electric ID R supercar around the Nürburgring in an attempt to smash the EV lap record there.

Behind the wheel will be Romain Dumas – the same driver who brought VW success at Pikes Peak and perhaps the person with the most experience behind the wheel of the ID R. He’s also something of an Nordschleife expert, with four victories in the 24 Hour race at the Nürburgring to his name.

The ID R is the halo car for Volkswagen’s upcoming range of all-electric, road-going ID vehicles, due to launch in 2020. The concept supercar is powered by two electric motors with a total power output of around 670bhp, while the car itself weighs less than 1100kg (including driver). Due to the differences between Pikes Peak and the Nordschleife, though, the car will receive an array of modifications to give it the best chance at success.

Altitude is one significant difference, with Pikes Peak demanding a climb of almost 1500m over its course, the Nordschleife just 300m. As such most changes will be found in the aerodynamics department. Tweaks to allow for a higher top speed may also be made: the Döttinger Höhe straight will present challenges not found at Pikes Peak, likely meaning less restrictive aero and modified gearing will be required for a higher top speed.

Since opening in 1927, the Nordschleife has become renowned for being one of the most demanding racetracks in the world, with very little run off, 73 corners, regular altitude changes and a staggering length of 20.7 kilometres. Dumas said: ‘The thought of driving the ID R on the Nordschleife is already enough to give me goosebumps. I know the track very well, but the ID R will be a completely different challenge, with its extreme acceleration and huge cornering speeds.’

He added: ‘Breaking the existing electric record will certainly not be a stroll in the park.’ The current all-electric lap record stands at 6:45.90, set by the 1341bhp NIO EP9 in 2017 with British driver Peter Dumbreck at the wheel.

Volkswagen Motorsport’s Technical Director explained that the ID R will be put through an ‘intense test and development programme’ at multiple racetracks in spring, ahead of the record attempt this summer.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/volkswagen-aims-for-nurburgring-ev-lap-record-with-modified-id-r/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/01/Volkswagen-aims-for-Nürburgring-EV-1-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegPorsche 718 Cayman GT4 Rallye confirmed for productionhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-718-cayman-gt4-rallye-confirmed-for-production/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-718-cayman-gt4-rallye-confirmed-for-production/#respondMon, 21 Jan 2019 12:03:42 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=131363Porsche is returning to rallying with a version of the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Porsche Motorsport has confirmed that it’ll be putting a 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport-based rally car into production after a positive reaction on showing a prototype last year. Unlike the concept, which was based on the previous GT4 Clubsport, the new 718 GT4 […]

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Porsche Motorsport has confirmed that it’ll be putting a 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport-based rally car into production after a positive reaction on showing a prototype last year. Unlike the concept, which was based on the previous GT4 Clubsport, the new 718 GT4 Rallye will be based on the recently revealed 718 GT4 Clubsport, bringing with it all the updates from the latest track-only racer. The Rallye has also been designed to comply with the WRC R-GT regulations, allowing it entry into the WRC R-GT championship.

The 718 GT4 Rallye will share its updated 419bhp 3.8-litre flat-six engine with the 718 GT4 Clubsport, as it will the toughened PDK transmission. This is a 39bhp jump on the previous GT4 Clubsport, and should represent a figure closer to that we might well see in the incoming 718 Cayman GT4 road car.

The transformation into Rallye spec sees a reduction in aero, something that is useful on the track, but liable to see the car torn to shreds on rocky verges or kerbstones. The underbody has also been reinforced, with steel plating protecting the car’s more vulnerable components around the axles and powertrain. Other changes include a removable LED lamp pod that sits on the bonnet, plus a new roof-mounted intake.

Testing has already got under way in earnest with driving duties entrusted to recent Pikes Peak winner Romain Dumas. The French ace is no stranger to Porsche rally cars, having taken and 997 GT3 RS to WRC R-GT honours in the 2017 Monte Carlo Rally. He also runs a company that develops its own Porsche rally cars that are campaigned in tarmac championships throughout Europe.

Porsche is not alone in creating models designed to compete in the FIA WRC R-GT class, as Lotus has also had a crack at it with its Exige R-GT, while Abarthentered its own 124 R-GT in the 2017 Monte Carlo Rally. Prodrive also dabbled with an R-GT version of the previous-generation Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

Being limited to the tarmac stages of the WRC, the class is still very much in its infancy, and although the FIA has relaxed the rules of entry to make it easier for more manufacturers and privateers to get involved, it’s still a niche class that has yet to be fully realised, something that might change when a heavyweight like Porsche Motorsport gets involve.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-718-cayman-gt4-rallye-confirmed-for-production/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2019/01/Porsche-718-Cayman-GT4-Rallye-1-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegMSO reveals bespoke McLaren P1 GTR in Senna liveryhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/mso-reveals-bespoke-mclaren-p1-gtr-in-senna-livery/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/mso-reveals-bespoke-mclaren-p1-gtr-in-senna-livery/#respondThu, 20 Dec 2018 14:13:01 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=130528McLaren Special Operations’ latest project marks 30th anniversary of Senna’s maiden F1 Championship McLaren Special Operations has revealed its latest commission just in time for Christmas – a stunning P1 GTR with a painted livery inspired by the one on Ayrton Senna’s MP4/4 F1 racer that took him to his maiden championship 30 years ago. Christened ‘Beco’ by […]

McLaren Special Operations has revealed its latest commission just in time for Christmas – a stunning P1 GTR with a painted livery inspired by the one on Ayrton Senna’s MP4/4 F1 racer that took him to his maiden championship 30 years ago.

Christened ‘Beco’ by its owner, this very special P1 GTR has been three years in the making, with every detail finely wrought by McLaren Special Operations. Painted in a combination of McLaren Rocket Red and Championship White, the livery you see is not made up from vinyls or stickers, but is actually painted on the carbonfibre bodywork. As a result, in combination with all the finer painted detailing, over 800 man hours was spent on the bodywork alone.

The bespoke detailing isn’t just confined to the livery, either, as the owner has also specified 24ct gold heat shielding (an element borrowed from the F1), Lexan rear engine cover and modified engine bay shrouds, all unique to this P1 GTR.

Exterior aerodynamic elements have also been changed, with a new splitter, dive planes, Gurney flap and barge boards helping clean the air along the body sides, and larger rear end-plates for the wind adding extra downforce on the rear.

Inside, bespoke Senna branding and trim has been applied, with McLaren even going to the effort of matching the steering wheel Alcantara to Senna’s original MP4/4 F1 car. Unfortunately, like all non-LMP1 GTRs, this will not be road-legal, rather an example of the skill and ability of McLaren’s Special Operations department.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/mso-reveals-bespoke-mclaren-p1-gtr-in-senna-livery/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/12/MSO-reveals-bespoke-McLaren-P1-GTR-1-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegJaguar builds F-type rally car as part of 70 years of sports cars celebrationhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/jaguar-builds-f-type-rally-car-as-part-of-70-years-of-sports-cars-celebration/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/jaguar-builds-f-type-rally-car-as-part-of-70-years-of-sports-cars-celebration/#respondMon, 12 Nov 2018 12:18:00 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=129296Thought the F-type Convertible would make a good rally car..? Nor us… As part of Jaguar’s 70 years of sports cars celebration this year, the British marque has designed and built two F-type roadster models to go off the tarmac and onto the rally stage. Based on the F-type Convertible, both models are fitted with the entry-level 296bhp […]

]]>Thought the F-type Convertible would make a good rally car..? Nor us…

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As part of Jaguar’s 70 years of sports cars celebration this year, the British marque has designed and built two F-type roadster models to go off the tarmac and onto the rally stage.

Based on the F-type Convertible, both models are fitted with the entry-level 296bhp four-cylinder petrol engine, matched to the standard-fit eight-speed automatic gearbox. From here, further modifications are undertaken by Jaguar Design and Engineering, with an internal roll-cage fitted to FIA specification, alongside racing bucket seats and six-point harnesses. Stark carbonfibre door cards have also replaced the standard items, a necessary move in order to fit the cage.

Under the aluminium body, Jaguar has also fitted new, more resilient brakes, and a lifted suspension set-up with hand-made competition-spec dampers, allowing the F-type to glide over the rutted gravel roads of a rally stage. New dampers also have the capability to offer three modes to add further control to the damping, depending on the terrain.

Natty motorsport-spec wheels and gravel tyres have also been fitted, as well as a hydraulic handbrake, replacing the standard electric unit, and a limited-slip diff to best help the still rear-wheel-drive model with traction on rough surfaces. Why Jaguar didn’t start with an all-wheel-drive F-type variant, we’re not sure, but the sideways gravel shots probably have something to do with it.

Coinciding with these two F-type rally cars are the special-edition Jaguar F-type ‘Checkered Flag’ models that were revealed a couple of weeks ago. Unlike those models, the F-type rally car will not be available to purchase, although we suspect it would be a spectacular, if not wildly successful, rally car if it was.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/jaguar-builds-f-type-rally-car-as-part-of-70-years-of-sports-cars-celebration/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/11/Jaguar-builds-F-type-rally-car-1-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegGlickenhaus to race at Le Mans in new WEC hypercar categoryhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/glickenhaus-to-race-at-le-mans-in-new-wec-hypercar-category/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/glickenhaus-to-race-at-le-mans-in-new-wec-hypercar-category/#respondWed, 07 Nov 2018 13:51:10 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=129177And there’ll be a road-legal version of the hybrid racer, too Sports and racing car manufacturer Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus has declared it will enter the FIA’s new hypercar category in the World Endurance Championship. In 2020, when the new regulations come into effect, the American race team will campaign two cars, and it also intends […]

Sports and racing car manufacturer Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus has declared it will enter the FIA’s new hypercar category in the World Endurance Championship. In 2020, when the new regulations come into effect, the American race team will campaign two cars, and it also intends to make a road-legal version of the racer.

Glickenhaus has confirmed that the new race car, called the 007, will be built in its current race facility in Turin. Exactly how it will be powered hasn’t been established just yet; the engine is likely to be sourced from General Motors – possibly a Chevrolet V8, similar to the one seen in Ginetta’s LMP1 car – but SCG is waiting for the full regulations to be published before it decides exactly what hybrid system it will use.

Fears as to whether a relatively small team will be able to compete with larger manufacturers and their even more significant budgets is not a worry for Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus. The new rules limit race development budget to €20million, all of which Glickenhaus has already secured through sponsorship, according to comments on the firm’s official Twitter account.

What’s more, Glickenhaus has already proved that its race cars can be competitive despite not having the might of a large manufacturer behind them. Its most recent GT3 race car, the 003, has more ‘Balance of Performance’ restrictions applied to it than its rivals in order to limit its performance and keep the racing competitive, while SCG’s P4/5 Competizione won its class in the 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours.

The P4/5 also features a hybrid system, showing that Glickenhaus has experience in adding electric drive to its race cars – a requirement for entries under the new hypercar regulations.

What the new rules don’t stipulate is that the cars have to be road legal. Yet still SCG intends to make its WEC contender a street car – one that could be driven away after a race. Again on Twitter, SCG said: ‘There are sports cars, and then there are sports cars, as in cars that can race for 24 hours and then drive home.

‘The road-legal requirement is our own idea, a nod to the homologation rules from 1967. […] We believe a hypercar class should be based on road-legal hypercars. We dream of building the ultimate road-legal race car.’

Expect the street version to sport an engine with different fuelling and a revised ignition map, as well as different wheels and tyres.

Glickenhaus does not intend to make any money through this racing venture, but sees real value in the project in terms of further establishing its brand as well as improving its road cars. SCG credits its time in racing for making the small number of road cars it has produced so far better, faster and more reliable – all extremely important given that Glickenhaus intends to expand its range of road cars soon.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/glickenhaus-to-race-at-le-mans-in-new-wec-hypercar-category/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/11/Glickenhaus-to-race-at-Le-Mans-1-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegManthey-Racing takes back ‘Ring record for Porsche with upgraded GT2 RShttps://www.crankandpiston.com/manthey-racing-takes-back-ring-record-for-porsche-with-upgraded-gt2-rs/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/manthey-racing-takes-back-ring-record-for-porsche-with-upgraded-gt2-rs/#respondSun, 04 Nov 2018 07:14:16 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=128966Porsche’s racing and development partner helps the fearsome GT2 RS to reclaim the Nurburgring lap record Porsche has snatched back the coveted lap record for road cars at the Nurburgring Nordschleife with an upgraded version of the GT2 RS. The GT2 RS MR, which features Manthey-Racing’s upgrade kit, lapped the circuit on October 25th in 6:40.3 […]

]]>Porsche’s racing and development partner helps the fearsome GT2 RS to reclaim the Nurburgring lap record

Porsche has snatched back the coveted lap record for road cars at the Nurburgring Nordschleife with an upgraded version of the GT2 RS. The GT2 RS MR, which features Manthey-Racing’s upgrade kit, lapped the circuit on October 25th in 6:40.3 secs with Lars Kern at the wheel, the same driver who set the original GT2 RS lap record (6:47.3) last year. Porsche had lost the record in the intervening period to the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, which lapped in 6:44.97.

While Kern’s new record wasn’t set with a regular production model as such, Porsche owns 51% of Manthey-Racing, which runs the 911 RSR GTE effort in the World Endurance Championship and also works closely with Porsche Motorsport on the GT3 racers and other projects. It already sells ‘MR’ upgrade packages for the GT3, GT3 RS and Cayman GT4 road cars.

The MR package for the GT2 RS consists of various improvements to the aerodynamics and the suspension setup of the car. Porsche is being notably tight-lipped on the modifications, but a larger rear wing has been teamed with ‘canards’ on the front corners for improved downforce. The car is fitted with Manthey’s coilover spring/damper units, and features upgraded brake pads and brake lines, while the wheels are magnesium. An additional water tank (for the GT2’s intercooler water spray system) means the full complement of 691bhp can be used for longer before refills are required. Manthey are set to reveal further details of the kit, along with pricing, in due course.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/manthey-racing-takes-back-ring-record-for-porsche-with-upgraded-gt2-rs/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/11/27515514-c550-4b52-9fd0-76786c31e63f_teaser_original_720x1_5-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegFormula E 2018-19 season preview: all change for the electric race serieshttps://www.crankandpiston.com/formula-e-2018-19-season-preview-all-change-for-the-electric-race-series/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/formula-e-2018-19-season-preview-all-change-for-the-electric-race-series/#respondMon, 22 Oct 2018 12:46:27 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=128406What you need to know about Formula E 2018-2019, including the calendar, the teams, the cars and where to watch on TV Formula E’s fifth season starts in Saudi Arabia on December 15th 2018. And if you’ve yet to give the electric racing series a chance, there’ll be no better time than this year. With […]

]]>What you need to know about Formula E 2018-2019, including the calendar, the teams, the cars and where to watch on TV

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Formula E’s fifth season starts in Saudi Arabia on December 15th 2018. And if you’ve yet to give the electric racing series a chance, there’ll be no better time than this year.

With more manufacturer support than ever before, the arrival of drivers from F1 and DTM, and a fundamental change in the way the cars look, perform and last the race, Formula E should continue to build its audience and might even convince a few previous cynics. There are new tracks thrown into the mix too, while the newfound range of the cars will bring an extra strategic element to the sport.

Below you’ll find a rundown of everything you need to know about season five of Formula E – including where to watch it trackside and on TV.

New cars, new rules

The most significant change for the new season is the car itself. Known colloquially as the “Gen 2” car, the new SRT05e chassis is designed by Spark Racing Technology, and will be run by all this year’s teams.

It’s dramatically different to look at, with sleek, futuristic bodywork featuring swooping arches that blur the line for Formula E being an open-wheel series. It also incorporates not just the best integration we’ve yet seen for the FIA’s “Halo” safety system, but also a large rear diffuser that will give the car much of its aero capabilities.

Surprisingly, when compared to the Gen 1 car, the latest cars actually develop less downforce. Teams can run their own motors, transmissions and inverters, but weight is controlled, with the SRT05e coming in at 900kg including a driver. The cars develop up to 335bhp in qualifying trim, and are capable of reaching 100kph in 2.8 seconds. They’ll also now run on until 280kph, up from 225kph, though the increase in weight and decrease in downforce mean cornering speeds may not greatly differ from previous seasons.

The biggest change though is the new battery, designed by McLaren Applied Technologies rather than Williams Advanced Engineering. It contributes 385kg of the car’s weight, up from 320kg, and this hints at its newfound extra capacity. Over the past four years of the series, technology has progressed enough that the new pack has double the capacity of the old one, and that has resulted in a significant race format change too, in that drivers will no longer need to pit to change cars half way through the race.

This will throw up some similarly large changes in strategy. Certainly in recent seasons, small improvements in battery tech meant teams rarely encountered flat batteries and only had a couple of laps during the race where capacity might have been a problem. That kept things relatively simple, but now, each 45-minute race will be fraught with strategic decisions, depending on the pace of competitors, the appearance of full-course yellows, and each driver’s choice of when to use the new performance-boosting “Attack Mode”.

Formula E car specifications

Spark SRT05e (Gen 2)

Spark SRT01e (Gen 1)

Length

5160mm

5000mm

Width

1770mm

1800mm

Height

1505mm

1250mm

Weight (inc. driver)

900kg

896kg

Battery weight

385kg

320kg

Max power

335bhp

268bhp

Race power

268bhp

201bhp

Max speed

280kph

225kph

0-100kph

2.8sec

3.0sec

Teams and drivers

This season will have the greatest number of manufacturer-backed squads yet in Formula E, with Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mahindra, DS Automobiles, Venturi and Nissan all represented.

The latter takes over from partner Nissan at e.Dams, having bought a stake in the outfit. Nissan claims not just that its racing exploits will help road car development, but also the other way around, bringing the software experience of selling more than 600,000 Leaf road cars to its street circuit-bound racers. Meanwhile, BMW partners the existing Andretti team, while DS has moved allegiance from Virgin Racing to the Chinese Techeetah squad.

New to the series altogether is HWA Racelab. The team might be new to Formula E, but it’s also behind the hugely successful Mercedes-AMG DTM team, and it’s not hard to see why HWA has entered Formula E now, given that Mercedes aims to enter the sport in the 2019-20 season.

HWA also brings an experienced driver lineup to the team, with ex-F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne, and existing HWA DTM driver, Gary Paffett. Most other teams have retained their 2017-18 lineups for the latest season, the most significant new driver being the hugely experienced Felipe Massa, who joins Venturi.

A couple of teams are yet to reveal their full driver lineup, while Nissan e.Dams’ pair hangs in the balance as we go to press, with new signing Alex Albon looking like he may be snatched up by the Toro Rosso F1 team for 2019.

Formula E 2018-19 teams and drivers

Team

#

Driver

Natl.

FE wins

Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler

1

Lucas di Grassi

BRA

8

66

Daniel Abt

DEU

2

BMW i Andretti Motorsport

28

Antonio Felix da Costa

PRT

1

TBC

Alexander Sims

GBR

0

Envision Virgin Racing

2

Sam Bird

GBR

7

TBC

Robin Frijns

NLD

0

Geox Dragon

6

Jose Maria Lopez

ARG

0

TBC

–

–

Panasonic Jaguar Racing

3

Nelson Piquet Jr.

BRA

2

20

Mitch Evans

NZL

0

Mahindra Racing

7

Jerome D'Ambrosio

BEL

2

TBC

–

–

NIO Formula E Team

16

Oliver Turvey

GBR

0

4

Tom Dillmann

FRA

0

DS Techeetah Formula E Team

25

Jean-Eric Vergne

FRA

5

18

Andre Lotterer

DEU

0

Venturi Formula E Team

4

Edoardo Mortara

CHE

0

5

Felipe Massa

BRA

0

Nissan E.Dams

9

Sebastien Buemi

CHE

12

22

Alex Albon

THA

0

HWA Racelab

TBC

Stoffel Vandoorne

BEL

0

TBC

Gary Paffett

GBR

0

Circuits

Formula E’s fifth championship will again be almost a season of two halves, with a series of “emerging market” rounds at the start, followed by European and American events from around the season’s mid-point. Newest of those emerging markets is round one in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, a town on the outskirts of Riyadh. With 21 turns it’s among the twistiest tracks on the calendar, but its December 15th slot should keep the Middle East’s crippling heat to a minimum.

Also new is the appearance of a track in Sanya, China. While Formula E has visited China before (and will return to Hong Kong in 2019) Sanya’s resort-style surroundings, relatively small population and position as one of China’s southernmost cities are almost literally a world away from the polluted northern metropolis of Beijing from seasons one and two. A circuit layout hasn’t yet been revealed, but a picturesque waterfront layout is likely.

Another city layout yet to be confirmed is that of Bern in Switzerland. Formula E visited Zurich last season – the first high-level circuit race in the country for six decades – so Formula E’s message should again fit right in with the notoriously motorsport-averse country.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/formula-e-2018-19-season-preview-all-change-for-the-electric-race-series/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/10/010-formula-e-2019-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport rally concept to test at WRC Germanyhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-cayman-gt4-clubsport-rally-concept-to-test-at-wrc-germany/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-cayman-gt4-clubsport-rally-concept-to-test-at-wrc-germany/#respondWed, 29 Aug 2018 07:02:44 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=125491Porsche could be preparing a Cayman GT4 Clubsport for tarmac rally Porsche Motorsport has built a rally version of the Cayman GT4 Clubsport. Built to comply with the WRC’s R-GT regulations for the moment it’s just a concept, but Porsche Motorsport may consider putting it into production for customer rally teams depending on feedback after its appearance at […]

Porsche Motorsport has built a rally version of the Cayman GT4 Clubsport. Built to comply with the WRC’s R-GT regulations for the moment it’s just a concept, but Porsche Motorsport may consider putting it into production for customer rally teams depending on feedback after its appearance at German the round of the WRC, which starts on the 16th of August.

The concept’s basic mechanical components are unchanged from the GT4 Clubsport, made up of Porsche’s naturally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six engine paired with a PDK gearbox, a pairing specific to the Clubsport model and not the road-going GT4. Power and torque figures are identical to both, meaning it’ll produce 380bhp with 310lb ft of torque available between 4750-7000rpm.

The transformation into rally form is made up of some reduction in aero, something that is useful on the track, but liable to being torn to shreds on rocky verges or kerbstones. The underbody has also been reinforced, with steel plating protecting the car’s more vulnerable components around the axles and powertrain. Other changes include a removable LED lamp pod that sit on the bonnet, plus a new roof-mounted intake.

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Testing has already got underway in earnest with driving duties entrusted to recent Pikes Peak winner Romain Dumas. The French ace is no stranger to Porsche rally cars, having taken and 997 GT3 RS to WRC R-GT honours in the 2017 Monte Carlo Rally. He also runs a company that develops its own Porsche rally cars that are campaigned in Tarmac championships throughout Europe.

Porsche is not alone in creating models designed to compete in the FIA R-GT WRC class, as Lotus has also had a crack at the class with its Exige R-GT while Abarth entered its own 124 R-GT in the 2017 Monte Carlo Rally. Prodrive also dabbled with an R-GT version of the previous generation Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Being limited to the tarmac stages of the WRC, the class is still very much so in its infancy, and although the FIA has relaxed the rules of entry to make it easier for more manufacturers and privateers to get involved, it’s still a niche class that has yet to be fully realised, something that might change in future when a heavyweight like Porsche Motorsport gets involved.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/porsche-cayman-gt4-clubsport-rally-concept-to-test-at-wrc-germany/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/08/dkeimxwwsaanwku-featured.jpgimage/jpegNew rules for endurance racing’s top class in 2020https://www.crankandpiston.com/new-rules-for-endurance-racings-top-class-in-2020/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/new-rules-for-endurance-racings-top-class-in-2020/#respondTue, 19 Jun 2018 06:51:23 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=122533FIA and ACO unveil plans to put the hypercars on track at Le Mans and around the world It’s the announcement that motor racing fans, and sports car racing enthusiasts in particular, have hardly dared hope for: in a joint press release the FIA and the ACO have confirmed that from 2020 the WEC’s top […]

]]>FIA and ACO unveil plans to put the hypercars on track at Le Mans and around the world

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It’s the announcement that motor racing fans, and sports car racing enthusiasts in particular, have hardly dared hope for: in a joint press release the FIA and the ACO have confirmed that from 2020 the WEC’s top LMP1 class will be replaced by a formula for hybrid ‘hypercars’, with strong overtones of both the GT1 and also Group C eras.

‘Sleeker prototypes with more marque cachet’ is how the rulemakers are positioning the new formula, adding rather dryly that ‘aerodynamics cannot take precedence over aesthetics’ – a rather pointed critique of the purposeful but hardly attractive LMP1 machines of recent seasons. The release makes a clear connection between the hugely popular world of supercars, hypercars and ‘prestigious GTs’ seen on the road, and what it hopes will be a new generation of ‘tough prototypes’ battling, as it puts it, at ‘Le Mans, Spa, Fuji and Sebring, day and night, rain or shine’.

The current hybrid LMP1 cars have set new standards for performance, efficiency and lap times, but at a terrifying cost that’s proved to be beyond the reach of most privateer teams, and certainly beyond their ability to be competitive. With Porsche withdrawing from the top class, this year’s Le Mans 24 hours features just one works team – Toyota. Clearly, a complete revolution of the rule book was required, with a number of manufacturers involved in discussions over recent months with the governing bodies. With the emergence of so many new ultra high performance cars onto the market, many enthusiasts – and c&p itself – have been lobbying for a racing series that allowed cars like the McLaren P1 and Ferrari La Ferrari to compete head-to-head on the track. That now appears to be a reality.

The class will have aerodynamic downforce and drag heavily restricted to a defined point, removing the incentive to seek gains in the windtunnel, and thereby allowing manufacturers to concentrate on making their cars look good – and recognisable as cars from their brand. The body of the car will be homologated by windtunnel and a 3D scan, and will be set for the season.

The minimum weight will be 980kg, with two seats, a bigger cockpit volume (than an LMP1 car) and a wider windscreen. In other words, they should look like proper cars.

The choice of engine is completely free, from small capacity turbo motors to large displacement naturally aspirated engines, with performance controlled by fuel consumption, and those last two points were very much cornerstones of the Group C formula. Along with the straightforward homologation process and a very tight focus on limiting costs – the aim is for a two-car full season to cost only 20-25% of the current LMP1 formula – that should mean a huge variety of marques represented, from major car companies to supercar startups, and also allow privateer teams to run competitive cars. Moreover, while hybrid power has been built into the rules, the release states that costs must be accessible for all, including privateers – not just to participate, but to be competitive. The energy recovery systems will be leased, with manufacturers supplying a yet-to-be-defined minimum number of teams. Different battery and ERS systems can be combined at will, but the total power from the hybrid element will be 200kW (around 270bhp). The total combustion engine power, regulated by fuel flow and Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC), will be 520kW (around 700bhp). Laps times are expected to be around 5 seconds off the pace of an LMP1 car at Le Mans, in the region of a 3m20sec lap.

The new regulations are due to come into force from September 2020, so the first time the new cars will be seen at Le Mans will be at the 2021 race. The formula as yet doesn’t have a name, with the FIA and ACO saying it’ll let the fans decide. Whatever it’s called, a golden era of international sports car racing may now be on the horizon.

]]>Record-chasing electric racer turns a wheel on the Pikes Peak course for the first time, ahead of the race on June 24, 2018

Previewed at the Pôle Mécanique Alès Cévennes race circuit in France earlier this year, Volkswagen’s electric ID R race car has now begun testing on the course the team intends to dominate: Pikes Peak.

With the “race to the clouds” now just a few weeks away, the famous hillclimb has now opened for testing, and Volkswagen has wasted no time dropping Le Mans-winner Romain Dumas in the ID R’s driving seat.

The team’s goals are clear. Volkswagen wants to wrest away the existing 8min 57.118-second electric course record set by Rhys Millen in his eO PP100 racer in 2016. Whether the ID R will get close to Sebastien Loeb’s stunning 8min 13.878-second time though is another matter, but the car’s electric powertrain does have advantages on the twisting mountain course.

671bhp, 479lb ft of torque and a sub-1,100kg weight are the startling stats posted by the VW ID R, which is said to be capable of sprinting from 0 to 100kph in 2.25 seconds. Unlike the combustion vehicles that also compete at Pikes Peak, the ID R’s figures won’t deteriorate as the air starts to thin with altitude, so Dumas will have as much power under his right foot on the last corner as he had on the first.

The car certainly looks dramatic as it fires up the mountain, the LMP1-like form quite unlike most other cars we’ve seen competing in recent years. For Dumas, the silence and lack of gearchanging is also novel – but in the video he praises the car’s rocket-like acceleration out of corners.

Our first opportunity to lay eyes on the VW ID R in the metal served up few surprises. By and large, the aesthetic previewed by previous renderings of the car has been carried over but the ID R now looks race-ready, clad in its grey livery.

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Colour scheme aside, the biggest differences between the computer generated images of the car and the finished version are a collection of aero elements. New winglets, supported on stanchions, have been added to the front splitter, which itself no longer wraps up around the front apron.

More aero-honing has delivered the louvered arches and the air inlets located behind the curved windscreen, which will reduce lift and increase cooling capacity respectively. The rear wing is mounted differently from the one on the initial images, too.

Despite its LMP1-like shape, the ID R features many of the design cues seen in other ID products, such as the full-width lighting and sloping C-pillar. These design elements will start being seen on the roads at the end of 2019, when VW’s first ID electric car reaches production.

But VW’s effort at Pikes Peak hill climb is also for a slightly more philosophical reason, as this will not be the first time VW has entered the event with a factory-supported race car. In 1987, the company contested a 652bhp twin-engined Golf, which narrowly missed out on an overall win. Of the new attempt, VW motorsport director Sven Smeets said, ‘It is about time we settled the score,’ rationalising the amount of effort that the firm has put into this exercise.

The bad press generated by dieselgate prompted VW to drop nearly all forms of motorsport to pursue a new, cleaner electric car agenda. As that agenda comes closer to fruition, the ID badge should gain a worthy bit of kudos if Volkswagen does indeed succeed in breaking through that dusty ceiling.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/vw-id-r-671bhp-electric-racer-begins-pikes-peak-testing/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/06/db2018au00516_large-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegA visit to Red Bull Racing’s HQ in Bahrainhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/a-visit-to-red-bull-racings-hq-in-bahrain/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/a-visit-to-red-bull-racings-hq-in-bahrain/#respondSun, 03 Jun 2018 09:44:41 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=121486Curiosity led us to a visit to Aston Martin’s HQ in Bahrain, which also happens to be Red Bull Racing’s F1 motorhome, so things were quite awesome! By the time Adrian Newey finally got the influence, the spare time, the CV and the partner to do the Valkyrie, his hair was gone, he had been bestowed […]

]]>Curiosity led us to a visit to Aston Martin’s HQ in Bahrain, which also happens to be Red Bull Racing’s F1 motorhome, so things were quite awesome!

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By the time Adrian Newey finally got the influence, the spare time, the CV and the partner to do the Valkyrie, his hair was gone, he had been bestowed an OBE and his cars had won 4 championships in F1. Much like when Jerry Seinfeld was told no, once and again, to his new series of comediansincarsgettingcoffee(.com), the question was “What do you have to do, for people to think you know what you are doing?”.

Granted, there are no reports that Newey ever broached the subject to Nissan/Infiniti, but when Aston Martin entered the F1 fray with the Red Bull team, Newey could hardly ever have found a better partner with which to develop his childhood dream. And timely so as well, for the latest hypercar yet to hit the market, will still be powered by a combustion engine.

Fortunately, we will be able to have a full report when Aston gives us one for a long-term test. Probably. Maybe.

We visited Aston Martin’s HQ at the Bahrain GP, which also happened to be the Red Bull F1 motorhome. Well, this is Bahrain, so the motorhome is actually a brick and mortar villa, where we had the opportunity to watch closely the preparations for the greatest show on earth.

It is the second GP of the season, and in Australia, Ricciardo managed not only a 4th place, but also to stay within the margin of error of a podium. Finished just 7.3s behind the winner, and former teammate Vettel but 20s ahead of the 5th, a surprised McLaren. This means RBR has a chance this year. Thus, motivation and expectations are at the highest state for the entire team.

Entering the belly of the team we learn very curious things about the F1 world. For example, most of the common parts travel around with the motorhomes, the cars, the equipment, etc. But the track specific and latest improvements cannot be entrusted to even the best of courier companies. Solution? Hand carry. Red Bull has a department that takes care of booking the flights of the people that will take specific bits of the car, directly from the factory to the track as their luggage. They even offer these trips to people in the factory to volunteer for an economy ticket carrying a, for example, new front wing. I am sure the conversations with customs officials deserve a book.

Another curious thing that you don’t expect to see near a race track is a data center. And that’s precisely what they have. A bank of nearly 50 servers that are monitoring every aspect of the entire process. AT&T provides a backbone that connects to the factory, where a team of engineers are continuously studying the data. Every race generates close to 400Gb data.

We asked about BigData analytics and AI to parse through it all and revert insights and, while IBM, proud parents of the Watson quantum computer, has approached them to start working on it, Red Bull is not yet ready to undertake the task. What this really means is that, while the F1 is paradigm of technological advancement towards speed, whatever we have seen so far has come out of people thinking long and hard. Just imagine what the F1 will become once machines start giving the engineers the technical insights no person could ever see through millions of lines of data.

Ever smiling Daniel Ricciardo feels confident about the season and expects very good results. We only had two and a half minutes with him though, and he had a helmet on, and he was thrashing around the Bahrain track sideways in an Aston Martin Vanquish S. The most surprising of the whole experience was to learn that, while on the F1 car they use the left foot for braking, on the Aston, skidding around, he uses the right foot for throttle and brakes. Hmm…

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/a-visit-to-red-bull-racings-hq-in-bahrain/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/06/03_gal_vlad_bah_gp_18-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegCitroën unceremoniously drops Kris Meeke from its rally teamhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/citroen-unceremoniously-drops-kris-meeke-rally-team/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/citroen-unceremoniously-drops-kris-meeke-rally-team/#respondSun, 27 May 2018 08:30:58 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=120896Northern Irish rally driver, Kris Meeke, has lost his drive with Citroën Racing after a series of ‘particularly heavy’ accidents Last night, Citroën Racing released a statement declaring that Kris Meeke would no longer drive for the team. The decision was made on the grounds of safety, due to the excessive number of crashes that have occurred […]

]]>Northern Irish rally driver, Kris Meeke, has lost his drive with Citroën Racing after a series of ‘particularly heavy’ accidents

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Last night, Citroën Racing released a statement declaring that Kris Meeke would no longer drive for the team. The decision was made on the grounds of safety, due to the excessive number of crashes that have occurred with Meeke behind the wheel of his C3 WRC.

Peirre Budar, director of Citroën Racing, said: ‘This wasn’t an easy decision to make because it affects a driver and a co-driver, but it is largely founded on safety issues which come under my preoccupations as team principal. We have consequently chosen to make this decision as a preventive measure.’

At the last WRC round in Portugal, Meeke was airlifted to hospital for medical checks following a severe crash. Earlier in the season he squandered his chances of catching Sebastien Ogier in Mexico with a mistake he described as ‘stupid’. He finished that rally in third, the only podium position he’s had this season.

Of course, Meeke isn’t the first rally driver to get a reputation for crashing repeatedly, but since joining Citroën in 2013 the 38-year-old rally driver has only won five WRC events, with a highest place championship result of fifth.

Without the results it has hoped for and crashes that Citroën Racing has described as ‘particularly heavy and could have had serious consequences with regard to the crew’s safety’, it’s not hard to see why the team has come to this decision.

However, the statement didn’t have the veil of courtesy that most official releases are covered with and was particularly blunt. Meeke clearly wasn’t given much notice before the decision was made public, either; only 40-or-so minutes before Citroën Racing announced Meeke and his navigator, Paul Nagle, would no longer be part of the team, the British rally driver had taken to social media to proclaim his excitement for the next WRC round in Sardinia.

Citroën Racing has not revealed who will take Meeke’s place for the rest of the season, only that Craig Breen and Mads Ostberg will still drive as planned. Nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb had agreed to compete for three rounds of this year’s season, but with a gap in its driver line-up, Citroën Racing may want to extend that contract.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/citroen-unceremoniously-drops-kris-meeke-rally-team/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/05/2005019-5njuk7o9sm-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegSenna’s iconic McLaren MP4/8A F1 car sells for $4,949,000https://www.crankandpiston.com/sennas-mclaren-mp4-8a-f1-car-sells-4949000/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/sennas-mclaren-mp4-8a-f1-car-sells-4949000/#respondSun, 20 May 2018 06:59:00 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=120615Senna won the 1993 Monaco Grand Prix in the car – and sold in Monaco for a sizeable fee Ayrton Senna’s 1993 MP4/8A F1 sold for $4,949,000 (including the buyer’s premium) at Bonham’s Monaco sale, which was held in conjunction with the Historic Monaco Grand Prix. Fuelled by the nostalgic setting, persistent bidders vyed for […]

]]>Senna won the 1993 Monaco Grand Prix in the car – and sold in Monaco for a sizeable fee

Ayrton Senna’s 1993 MP4/8A F1 sold for $4,949,000 (including the buyer’s premium) at Bonham’s Monaco sale, which was held in conjunction with the Historic Monaco Grand Prix. Fuelled by the nostalgic setting, persistent bidders vyed for ownership of the coveted McLaren icon.

Senna failed to win the title in 1993, but the McLaren-Ford MP4/8A he drove during that season remains one of his best-recognised cars. Like its title-winning predecessors, the MP4/8A was clad in the famous red and white Marlboro livery.

The car, chassis number 6, was a significant one for Senna during the 1993 season. He drove the car in eight events that year following its debut at the Spanish Grand Prix that May, and took victory next time out on 23 May 1993 in Monaco – so it was fitting that the car crossed the auction block, 25 years after the win. That victory was to be his sixth in Monaco – a record that stands to this day.

Senna raced chassis 6 again at the Canadian, French, British, German, Belgian and Italian GPs, and while those races were all dominated by Williams – with four victories going to Alain Prost and three to Damon Hill – after which it was relegated to the spare car. Senna finished second in the 1993 championship, bolstered by victories in Japan and Australia at the end of the season.

Ayrton’s efforts at the time were enough to put McLaren ahead of Ferrari as the most successful team in F1 history, and while Ferrari later retook that title (as of 2018, Ferrari has 229 wins to McLaren’s 182 – largely thanks to the efforts of Michael Schumacher in the early 2000s) it was undoubtedly a purple patch for the Woking-based constructor.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/sennas-mclaren-mp4-8a-f1-car-sells-4949000/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/05/senna-mclaren-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegJenson Button signs up for 2018/19 WEC drivehttps://www.crankandpiston.com/jenson-button-signs-2018-19-wec-drive/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/jenson-button-signs-2018-19-wec-drive/#respondThu, 03 May 2018 14:00:51 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=119929Former F1 champ to make LMP1 debut at Le Mans with SMP Racing Only a week before the curtain-raising race of the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship season at Spa-Francorchamps, SMP Racing has revealed that Jenson Button will join its driver line-up. However, the former Formula One World Champion will have to wait until the second round, at […]

Only a week before the curtain-raising race of the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship season at Spa-Francorchamps, SMP Racing has revealed that Jenson Button will join its driver line-up. However, the former Formula One World Champion will have to wait until the second round, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to make his debut.

Button will share driving duties over the course of the season with Mikhail Aleshin and former F1 grid-mate Vitaly Petrov. The trio will pilot the number 11 car, one of two cars entered by SMP Racing in the flagship LMP1 category.

They’ll be competing in the BR1, which has been co-developed by BR Engineering and Dallara, the latter having also supplied the carbonfibre monocoque chassis. Mounted within the car’s wheelbase is a twin-turbo V6 that channels over 700bhp to the (magnesium) rear wheels via a sequential six-speed gearbox. To keep all that performance in check, carbon-ceramic brakes built by Brembo are also fitted.

Speaking of Jenson’s signing, SMP Racing founder and leader Boris Rotenberg said: ‘I’m happy to welcome Jenson Button as a part of our team. He is a top-level driver and Formula One Champion.’ Talking about his new challenge, Button said: ‘I’m delighted to be a part of the SMP Racing team in the FIA World Endurance Championship.’

SMP Racing is one of a small handful of teams competing in the LMP1 class, the existence of which has been brought into question in recent times as many manufacturers (works teams) opt to deploy their motorsport resources elsewhere.

However, Toyota remains in LMP1, and this provides cause for excitement, because it means that Fernando Alonso, who’ll be driving for the Japanese marque, will once again line up on the grid alongside Jenson Button. The prospect of these two F1 stalwarts striking up a rivalry is one we are praying for.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/jenson-button-signs-2018-19-wec-drive/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/05/26432218357_859efcc4cb_o-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegLe Mans 24hr – does the world’s greatest endurance race have a future?https://www.crankandpiston.com/le-mans-24hr-worlds-greatest-endurance-race-future/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/le-mans-24hr-worlds-greatest-endurance-race-future/#respondSun, 08 Apr 2018 12:58:00 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=118761Scrutinising the prospects of motorsport, the team mulls over the problems faced by the WEC and its Le Mans 24-hour showpiece As a motorsport fan, you may be asking what in the name of Nelson Piquet Jr is going on with your sport. Manufacturers are jumping ships and joining bandwagons quicker than NPJ could react to […]

]]>Scrutinising the prospects of motorsport, the team mulls over the problems faced by the WEC and its Le Mans 24-hour showpiece

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As a motorsport fan, you may be asking what in the name of Nelson Piquet Jr is going on with your sport. Manufacturers are jumping ships and joining bandwagons quicker than NPJ could react to a radio message during a night race. And once-headline motorsport series are now staring at vast empty spaces in the paddock where the corporate hospitality units of the world’s biggest car makers previously stood.

Formula E would appear, on the face of it, to be the biggest benefactor of this shake-up. Recently Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche all confirmed their switch to the all-electric single-seater series with full works teams, and within days of each other. Merc ditched Germany’s DTM touring car series to fund the switch, while Porsche will end its World Endurance Championship programme two years early to focus on its first single- seater campaign since its disastrous Footwork tie-up in F1 back in 1991.

With Audi looking for somewhere to spend its euros after withdrawing from WEC last year and BMW having danced around the periphery of top-line motorsport with a presence in DTM and also IMSA GT racing in the USA in recent years, both will now field factory teams in Formula E. BMW is also returning to the FIA World Endurance Championship – in the GTE class, with its new M8, from 2018.

Manufacturers have always been key to motorsport and its success – although not always for the right reasons. And now some of the series and their promoters – who scoffed at the manufacturer top tables – find themselves at a lunch buffet with nothing more than a few overcooked parsnips and limp cabbage to shove around their plates.

Formula 1 knows this scenario only too well: it has courted boardroom millions more than any other series, only to lose it all again. In fact, every headline motorsport category does this, but it feels – and looks – like more are suffering than ever before and going through a period of huge transition. It’s leaving the spectators lost as to what they are meant to be watching, who they should support and which sport they should invest their time and money in.

We feel the same in the our office. What’s happened to the motorsport we know and love? Is it a case of our rose-tinted glasses getting darker with each new race we watch? Are our memories playing tricks on us, making us think it was all better back in the day? Or should we accept that change is happening, whether we like it or not, and embrace what we have? It’s a tricky one, because motorsport to many of us means so much more than what happens on track for a couple of laps or hours on a Sunday afternoon.

It’s the cars motorsport inspires that excite just as much, from iconic single-seaters such as a Gordon Murray-designed McLaren to the legends of endurance racing, from Jaguar’s XJR behemoths to Porsche’s all-conquering 956/962s. And the Group A, B and even N vehicles that created rivalries that were as fierce in the car parks as they were on track or on the rally stage. And, of course, the venues. Motorsport was about the ultimate test, but is it still so? Has appealing to a wider audience that has less appetite to diligently follow a sport than it has a desire to be able to say ‘I’ve been there, done that and here’s the selfie to prove it’ done more harm than good?

What’s the answer? Is there a solution? In a bid to find one, or at least come up with a number of suggestions, we were sitting around a table – and will again in the future – cracking open the biscuits and discussing the future motorsport over a cup of tea.

The key categories up for discussion over the coming months will be Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship, the World Rally Championship, touring cars (including BTCC, DTM, TCR and Australian Supercars), FormulaE and Rallycross. The ‘experts’ are deputy editor Adam Towler, road test editor James Disdale, contributing editors Richard Meaden, John Barker and Colin Goodwin, and staff writer Antony Ingram. This month we’re looking at the World Endurance Championship – and oh how the mighty have fallen in this particular series. One minute it’s the envy of many a race-series promoter around the globe, then it’s left with a headline category (LMP1) that’s buried itself so deep in the gravel trap that there’s no plant machinery strong enough to extract it. The World Endurance Championship has seemingly been black-flagged just as it was heading for certain victory.

Audi’s departure last year and Porsche’s this have decimated the LMP1 category, and while we all enjoyed the ferocious pace of the Audi R18 e-tron and 919 Hybrid and their jet-fighter- style approach to weaving through traffic in the dead of night, secretly we all knew it wasn’t sustainable and sooner or later sportscar racing would eat itself. Again. ‘Sadly, sportscar racing has gone down one of its periodic blind alleys,’ says Towler. ‘It’s a cyclical thing – not a reason to panic, just to have a rethink. The LMP1 cars are too complex, too expensive, too fast and not identifiable as genuine sports cars.’

It’s a sentiment shared by all of us. ‘The recent decade of LMP1 racing has been absolutely fascinating and has turned out some of the most advanced cars ever made,’ adds Ingram. ‘But the rapidly escalating expense and increasing irrelevance for road cars was always going to lead to it burning out. There’s also a disconnect here between how great people say this series is and their desire to actually watch it.’

In the past, sportscar racing appealed to the enthusiast, the die-hard and a collective who would think nothing about catching a flight to Sebring in the USA to watch a packed grid race around an old bomber base. It still does today, but is that the audience the manufacturers in LMP1 are looking to appeal to? Unlikely.

So what’s the fix? WEC is in the fortunate position of offering multiple classes, and while the top category has run its batteries dry, there are three more to pick up the pieces. ‘I love the GTE cars,’ says Meaden. ‘The competition is especially fierce at the moment. It feels like WEC needs a prototype class, but the GTE cars are the ones that resonate most with fans.’

Towler – actually, all of us – are in agreement with Dickie when it comes to the GTE category, but deputy editor would go a step further. ‘The prototype classes need to go,’ explains Towler. ‘The WEC should be GT1, GT2, GT3 and GT4. The return to GT1 would cover cars such as Aston Martin Valkyrie and Mercedes-AMG Project One.

‘The existing GTE class would become the new GT2, with perhaps a little more power allowed – say 600 to 650bhp. The current GT3 cars racing in the likes of the Blancpain GT Series and Germany’s VLN Endurance Championship would be allowed in, opening up the series to vastly more manufacturers, teams and drivers. And GT4 should be the entry point, because races such as Le Mans should have minnows in them – Porsche Caymans and Lotus Exiges battling at the foot of the field.’

Colin Goodwin is in agreement but fears for the sport at a national level: ‘I flew over Silverstone recently and thought there was a trackday taking place on a Sunday. It was only when I got home that I discovered it was a round of the British GT Championship. No one is attending the races that were once regarded as must-visit events and that’s a big problem.’ But is the issue only the cars? There is also the argument that too many people are trying to have the same sized slice from the same diminishing pie and all they are left with is a handful of crumbs. WEC, ELMS, Blancpain, IMSA and VLN are all chasing the same teams and budgets to race similar cars. And then there are the venues. WEC, with its manufacturer millions, has been pushed to far-flung locations where there is no audience, interest or relevance for endurance racing. A marketing presence in Shanghai may help shift Q7s or Cayennes, but that region’s audience would undoubtedly be better served by throwing a few thousand quid at a local social-media star than spending a couple of million euros at a race the locals have no appetite for. Motorsport’s obsession with conquering new territories around the world is its downfall.

As mentioned, sportscar racing has had a cyclical habit for generations, and most of the dead-ends it has found itself racing into have come about when the manufacturers have become more interested in competing in a costly technology battle rather than a motor race. The sport has also been at its best – and one of its biggest appeals has always been – when privateer and independent teams have been able to compete at the front of the grid and for overall victory with a car they have bought from, and is supported by, the manufacturers (as in the lower GT categories). Some of the most memorable sportscar victories have been at the hands of the privateers and independent teams, and perhaps now is a good time to hand back control to allow the World Endurance Championship to shine again at the hands of those who have made memories in the past. Manufacturers have much to gain from supporting a series such as WEC, but we believe this support is best provided when they act as a supplier rather than factory teams.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/le-mans-24hr-worlds-greatest-endurance-race-future/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/04/Aston-Martin-Vantage-GTE-6-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegVolkswagen reveals electric ID R race car set to compete at 2018 Pikes Peak hill climbhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/volkswagen-reveals-electric-id-r-race-car-set-to-compete-at-2018-pikes-peak-hill-climb/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/volkswagen-reveals-electric-id-r-race-car-set-to-compete-at-2018-pikes-peak-hill-climb/#respondTue, 20 Mar 2018 09:22:45 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=117951VW is hoping to break the Pikes Peak EV record with its ID R, driven by three-time ‘Race to the Clouds’ winner Romain Dumas Volkswagen has revealed images of an electric racing car due to compete at the 2018 Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado. Called the ID R Pikes Peak, it will be driven by […]

]]>VW is hoping to break the Pikes Peak EV record with its ID R, driven by three-time ‘Race to the Clouds’ winner Romain Dumas

Volkswagen has revealed images of an electric racing car due to compete at the 2018 Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado. Called the ID R Pikes Peak, it will be driven by Romain Dumas, a three time Pikes Peak winner and the man tasked by VW to break the electric-vehicle hill-climb record at the event.

Developed by Volkswagen Motorsport, the outfit responsible for the successful Polo WRC car, the ID R’s role extends beyond being just a one-off race car – it also serves as a bridge between VW’s upcoming ID electric car range and the R-badged models that currently act as halo products, such as the Golf R.

Despite its LMP1-like shape, the ID R features many of the design cues seen in other ID products, such as the full-width lighting and sloping C-pillar. These design elements will start being seen on the roads at the end of 2019, when VW’s first ID electric car reaches production.

We know little about the ID R in terms of mechanicals, aside from that it’s all-electric, although you can expect the utilisation of all-wheel drive to give it the best shot of success. Currently, the record for an electric vehicle stands at 8min 57.118sec, set by Rhys Millen in an eO PP100 – a car that put out just shy of 1600bhp.

But VW’s effort at Pikes Peak hill climb is also for a slightly more philosophical reason, as this will not be the first time VW has entered the event with a factory-supported race car. In 1987, the company contested a 652bhp twin-engined Golf, which narrowly missed out on an overall win. Of the new attempt, VW motorsport director Sven Smeets said, ‘It is about time we settled the score,’ rationalising the amount of effort that the firm has put into this exercise.

The bad press generated by dieselgate prompted VW to drop nearly all forms of motorsport to pursue a new, cleaner electric car agenda. As that agenda comes closer to fruition, the ID badge should gain a worthy bit of kudos if Volkswagen does indeed succeed in breaking through that dusty ceiling.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/volkswagen-reveals-electric-id-r-race-car-set-to-compete-at-2018-pikes-peak-hill-climb/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/03/idr_shot03-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegRed Bull reveals its 2018 F1 entry – plus our 2018 F1 season previewhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/red-bull-reveals-2018-f1-entry-plus-2018-f1-season-preview/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/red-bull-reveals-2018-f1-entry-plus-2018-f1-season-preview/#respondMon, 19 Feb 2018 14:29:03 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=1154712018 Red Bull RB14 launched, has it caught up with Mercedes and Ferrari? Red Bull is the latest team to reveal its 2018 race car, seen here in the team’s usual pre-season development livery. Called the RB14, Red Bull is hoping to be back in title contention after a suite of detail changes to the […]

]]>2018 Red Bull RB14 launched, has it caught up with Mercedes and Ferrari?

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Red Bull is the latest team to reveal its 2018 race car, seen here in the team’s usual pre-season development livery. Called the RB14, Red Bull is hoping to be back in title contention after a suite of detail changes to the chassis and with an improved Renault-sourced power unit.

2017 was a year of great change in the Formula 1 world championship. Headlined by faster and more aerodynamically aggressive cars compared to previous years, the eyes of the world were peeled to see if a new F1, no longer under the rule of Bernie, could begin to answer the call of fans and critics. In 2018 the changes have been less substantial, but still aim to bring further excitement to the sport with a continued effort to improve in-race overtaking and a renewed focus on louder, more dramatic engines.

With such a large technical regulation change in the preceding year, you’d be forgiven for thinking that not much will have changed, but instead the governing body of F1, the FIA, deemed it necessary to take the first steps towards introducing a closed cockpit.

The result is the much-contrived ‘halo’, a three-pronged section that sits over the driver’s head, further protecting him or her from race debris or other moving objects that could harm the driver. Although it is ridiculous to object to a new feature whose raison d’être is based purely on improving safety, it’s the execution of the halo that has been a major point of controversy leading up to the 2018 season.

Each of the teams will of course be subject to these new rule changes, but elsewhere, the major point of difference this year is the shake-up of where each team will source their power units. After three disastrous years running the under-performing, unreliable Honda unit, McLaren has switched to a vastly improved Renault engine that will also feature in Renault’s factory team and Red Bull.

To stay in the game, Honda’s powerplant will now nestle under the engine covers of the Toro Rosso cars, playing a development role for Red Bull’s eventual adoption of the Japanese engine in 2019. Ferrari and Mercedes will keep hold of their respective engines, while Renault is hoping its 2018-spec engine will have closed the gap on its rivals.

Despite winning three races in the 2017 season, Red Bull has been hamstrung by the underpowered Renault power unit, explaining its desire to move on from the French brand. For now though, if Renault’s efforts have paid off, Red Bull’s typically impressive chassis could bring back a third championship contender in 2018. Alfa Romeo will also make a return to the sport, although unlike its Italian Ferrari cousin will be a title sponsor of Sauber, rather than a standalone team.

The cars

Red Bull

The last few seasons have been a source of continued frustration for the Red Bull team, saddled with an underperforming power unit sourced from Renault. Frustrations last year bubbled over between team and engine supplier, resulting in 2018 being the final season of the pairing before Red Bull’s move to Honda engines from 2019.

Red Bull’s support team, Toro Rosso, has already made the controversial move to Honda, but after three long years at the rear of the field any instant improvements in the Red Bulls on last year’s results are far from a foregone conclusion. So far the RB14 has been launched in the team’s usual pre-season development livery, with the real thing to be revealed next week when testing kicks off in Catalunya.

In the cockpit will be the same pairing of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen from the last couple of years. Both drivers have shown considerable talent so if their cars are up to it, expect to see them closer to the front end of the field more consistently this year.

Williams

Williams was team number two to show off its 2018 F1 entry called FW41. Under the stewardship of Williams’s chief technical officer, Paddy Lowe, and head of aerodynamics, Dirk de Beer, Williams is hoping to put its disappointing 2017 season behind it and return to its usual place further up the mid-field. Like all other teams, Williams has had to integrate the controversial halo into the design, looking more integrated than on the HAAS revealed previously.

A similar Martini livery remains, now sitting with more black bodywork below the iconic white paint. Don’t be deceived by the lack of the FW40’s engine cover-mounted fin or its aerofoil: these aerodynamic add-ons will likely make an appearance after the first round of testing.

Canadian driver Lance Stroll will maintain his driver’s seat, with the retirement of Massa leaving the door open for Sergey Sirotkin to fill the second seat. Meanwhile, F1 and WRC veteran Robert Kubica has also been signed as a development and backup driver.

HAAS

HAAS’s 2018 contender was the first car to be revealed this year, with the American team hoping to mirror the relative successes it had against tail-end rivals in 2017. The cars will once again run Ferrari power units, and like the Williams above, have a significantly reduced fin atop the engine cover as the biggest contrast compared to last year’s car.

The livery also remains much the same as last year, featuring the corporate colours of the team’s namesake HAAS Automation. The team had a focus on removing as much weight as possible to then replace it with ballast, bringing it back up to the legal weights. This allows HAAS the ability to place ballast in the car in opportune positions to better control the weight distribution. Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen are poised to keep their seats, too.

]]>He might have won the F1 Championship but that didn’t stop Lewis Hamilton complaining about Yas Marina after 2017’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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With the 2017 championship already in his bag (his fourth), Lewis Hamilton could have been forgiven for taking things a bit more sedately during the season’s final race at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. But that’s not him at all and, if nothing else, the man knows the importance of his loyal fan-base so was always going to give it all he had.

That didn’t mean top place for the Brit on the podium, however, as Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, the Finnish Valtteri Botas, took the pole and secured his third – and easily most important – grand prix win. For Botas, this was undoubtedly the moment when he finally validated all the faith his team has had in him all along. With only one season in his contract, we’d say his agent will now be rubbing his/her hands at the prospect of some upcoming negotiations.

Once again, however, the design of Yas Marina’s track came in for criticism because of its dearth of overtaking opportunities, making for a less than exciting race for drivers and spectators alike. “It’s one of the worst tracks for that,” Hamilton later said to reporters. With only seven laps to go, Hamilton had been closing in on Bottas but couldn’t get past. “I was never going to overtake unless he made a massive mistake,” he added. Still, it’s doubtful that anyone at Mercedes would be complaining – the dominance it exhibited throughout the season and, indeed the past four years, has been almost ridiculous.

Ridiculous enough to make the sport too predictable? Many are saying as much. In fact, as the team took top honours at Yas Marina, some pundits were already complaining that the results table is unlikely to look any different at the end of 2018, unless Ferrari pulls an ace from under its sleeve. Stranger things have happened.

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Sebastian Vettel, who at certain times in the season looked like he might be in with a chance of stealing Hamilton’s glory, cruised home to third place and it was a race to forget for Daniel Ricciardo, who qualified fourth but failed to finish. Crossing the line in tenth was probably not how Felipe Massa wanted his final race to pan out but that’s Yas Marina for you – the races that excite here are the ones when championships are still in the balance.

The run from the start grid to the first turn is barely 300 metres and has a short braking zone, so there’s very little opportunity for changing position – in fact, after the first lap, the entire top 12 positions were the same as when they’d started.

For Massa, this was the end of a career that began with Sauber 15 years before he hanged up his Nomex suit for good. With his departure, there had been much speculation about Robert Kubica occupying the empty Williams seat but it’s been confirmed that rookie Russian, Sergey Sirotkin, will be driving for the team instead. Kubica, unbowed, maintains that a return to F1 is his ultimate goal. Maybe next year, Robert.

As darkness descended on Abu Dhabi and fireworks lit the sky with a staggering display, the commentators went into overdrive about a newly unveiled F1 logo and the prospects of far reaching changes in the sport once again. Hamilton, on the other hand, seemed blissfully nonchalant and completely at ease. It might not have been his race but 2017 had definitely been his year.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/abu-dhabi-grand-prix-yas-marina/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/02/A9S2636-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegRacing back in time. Gulf Historic.https://www.crankandpiston.com/racing-back-in-time-gulf-historic/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/racing-back-in-time-gulf-historic/#respondWed, 07 Feb 2018 10:29:14 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=111582Old racers never die, they just end up in private collections and are rarely seen in the outside world. Gulf Historic is set to change that and offered c&p’s editor the drive of his life It’s not often one gets to realise a dream but, on the day before the Gulf 12 Hour endurance race […]

]]>Old racers never die, they just end up in private collections and are rarely seen in the outside world. Gulf Historic is set to change that and offered c&p’s editor the drive of his life

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It’s not often one gets to realise a dream but, on the day before the Gulf 12 Hour endurance race weekend, I’ve just walked into garage number 23 at Yas Marina Circuit knowing I’m about to do just that. In front of me is a garage full of stunning historic Formula 1 cars and one of them has my name on it. Literally.

While most of you will be familiar with the Gulf 12hr race, as its been running for several years now, you probably haven’t heard of the Gulf Historic race, as this is its first iteration. On this occasion it’s being run in support of the main race, as an exhibition event to test the region’s appetite for historic racing. The brain-child of Dubai-based GP Xtreme, who you may be familiar with for their awesome Sheikh Zayed Road showroom in Dubai, that sells some of the coolest racing memorabilia and merchandise, not to mention houses a state-of-the-art racing simulator. What you might not know is that they also organise F1 driving experiences, run a fully fledged GT race team(I raced for them in last year’s Creventic 24HR series and hope to do so again this year), and with the most significance to the weekend ahead of me, they own and operate a fleet of historic Formula 1 cars that are regularly raced in classic events around the world, such as the Monaco Historic Grand Prix.

It’s hard to put into words just how captivating this array of very special racing cars is, as it’s quite surreal to be surrounded by so much history in one place. Inevitably the first car I’m drawn to is the 1974 Hesketh 308B, resplendent in its white livery unsullied by any vulgar sponsor logos, as was the ethos of team boss Lord Hesketh. This was the car that launched the legendary career of James Hunt and was more recently immortalised in the movie Rush. It’s hard to stay focused on a single car though, as to the left of the Hesketh are two identical and very gorgeous Warsteiner gold-liveried Arrows A3s that were successfully raced by Jochen Mass and Ricardo Patrese in 1980 and ’81. Next to the two Arrows is perhaps the prettiest of the cars assembled – not to mention the oldest – a powder blue 1971 Matra campaigned by Chris Amon. In 1974 the Kiwi driver would set up his own eponymous team, and the lone car produced by Amon F1– the AF 101– is also in attendance today. Another driver who set up his own team was John Surtees, the only man to win world championships on two wheels and four, competing in his self-titled Surtees TS19 in 1976. Probably best known for being controversially sponsored by Durex to the delight of sniggering teenage boys everywhere, the condom makers branding still adorns the model that’s here today.

If you’re a racing fan you’ll be very familiar with the Saudia sponsored March 761B, most famous for being the car that started the story of Williams F1 as we know it today. It was purchased in 1977 as a customer car from March F1 by Frank Williams, and developed by a young engineer by the name of Patrick Head. That’s not the only car here with a Williams link though, as last but not least is the car I’ll be piloting this weekend: a 1974 Williams FW03. As the name would suggest this is the third car produced by Frank Williams Racing Cars, prior to the team going bankrupt. A few years later Sir Frank would ‘rise from the ashes’ to set up Williams F1 and, multiple world championships later, the rest is history.

Before I can fulfil my dream of driving this piece of Formula 1 folklore, I need to find out if I can physically fit in it. F1 cars are notoriously tightly packaged and I’m not exactly the smallest guy in the world, so I’m pretty anxious as I wait for my race-engineer Simon to finish with his preparations before I gingerly step over the side of the chassis. I’m now standing on the bare metal floor of the car, placing an arm on each side of the body. I slowly lower myself down and my legs forward in much the same way you would get into a bathtub. To my relief there is a lot more space than I expected, although the seating position is startlingly upright with my legs pretty much at a 90-degree angle from my body. Click the detachable steering wheel back into place and my arms are fully outstretched in front of me, which isn’t exactly the ideal driving position but is typical of the era and, thankfully, means I will definitely be driving it the next day.

As I’m sat on the bare metal tub of the car, the next step is for Simon to craft a makeshift seat for me, which is done using the highly scientific process of putting a piece of foam sheet behind my back and cutting it to the shape of my body with a pen-knife. Apply some masking tape to give it some rigidity and, voila, you have a vintage Formula 1 seat. While this process is ongoing, I have plenty of time to absorb the details of my surroundings and the first thing that strikes me is the simplicity of everything. The small suede steering wheel is completely devoid of buttons, and the only things on the dash are three analogue dials (the central rev counter is upside down so the wheel doesn’t obstruct it), a couple of toggles and the starter button. Just to the right of my arm is a tiny lever that operates the H-pattern 4-speed ’box, and you can even rest your right arm on the exposed gear linkage.

I’m reminded that I’m sitting in a piece of F1 history as, to my left, on the inside of the tub, is the FW03’s former driver Arturo Mezario’s signature, which includes a doodle of his famous cowboy hat. Apparently he wrestled this very car to a best finish of fourth at Monza – quite a feat for such a young team. As the car is still being prepared, it’s up on stands with no wheels and most of the bodywork is missing, so you can pretty much see every detail of the tube-frame chassis. The best way to describe the frame is that it’s not dissimilar to an oversized go-kart, in other words it’s shockingly flimsy. Best not to think about that then, particularly as I’ve come across a slight problem: my feet are too big for the footwell. I guess Sir Frank wasn’t considering my size 46s during the design of this car, but it’s a legitimate problem for me as there isn’t enough vertical space at the front of the chassis. Moving my foot from the accelerator to the brake isn’t possible without snagging my toes on the chassis, so Simon suggests I wear “smaller shoes” tomorrow…

Needless to stay, tomorrow can’t come soon enough and after tossing and turning for a few hours I give up hope of getting any meaningful sleep. I usually snooze my alarm multiple times before I coax myself into getting my day started, but today is different. I jump out of bed knowing that I will be driving a Formula 1 car. I walk into the garage a few hours before our first practice session is scheduled, and see the car fully assembled for the first time. All the bodywork is now in place, the iconic red and white Marlboro livery a reminder of a bygone era when tobacco advertising was the norm. Now that the wheels are on, the first thing that you notice is the comical difference in the size of the small front tyres and the massive rear Avons. The high air box and long rear wing complete the Wacky Racers dimensions, and the look is so much more charismatic than anything from the modern era.

Strapped in so I tight I can barely breathe, my heart is beating so hard it feels like it’s about to burst through my chest plate. I’m waiting for Simon to give me the signal when the pit lane light goes green and, sure enough, moments later he makes a circular motion with his skywards pointed index finger that is the international sign for “fire her up”. I flick down the toggle switches for the ignition and fuel pump, then finger the discreet looking starter button and the legendary Cosworth DFV erupts behind me in a cacophony of noise and vibration. I rest my foot on the throttle, as I’ve been told I have to keep the revs up to stop it from switching off. I push down on the relatively light clutch and snick the deliciously short gear lever into its dogleg first gear. I up the revs a little bit and release the surprisingly progressive clutch, hang a right out of the pit garage and the next thing I know I’m trundling my way down the pit lane.

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It feels like the entire grid of drivers and mechanics from the main Gulf 12Hr race is out in the pit lane with camera phones at the ready. In a paddock full of the latest and greatest in modern GT and Prototype machinery, the historic cars are undoubtedly the stars of the show. As I exit the pit lane tunnel and join the track, I’m extremely cautious as I have no idea what to expect, having not driven many vintage cars, let alone an F1 car from 1974. I gingerly squeeze the throttle expecting violent wheel spin, but the massive rear tyres don’t protest. This encourages me to get more adventurous and the urgency with which this four-decade-old-car picks up and goes is startling. I wouldn’t say it’s shocking, but it’s certainly much more accelerative than, say, a current GT3 car.

Even though I can up-shift without pressing the clutch, I choose not to do so in the initial stages, to avoid any mishaps. The gearbox requires a very firm and precise hand, but no more than a flick of the wrist as the movement is so short. The unassisted steering is really heavy, but as I start to gather confidence and pick up speed it starts to lighten up. As you’d expect you can feel everything that’s going on at the front of the car, a sensation that’s exaggerated by being able to see the front wheels move as I turn the wheel.

As I gain confidence and the tyres start to warm, I start to use all of the throttle pedal, and on Yas’s endlessly long straight the sensation of speed is amplified by the feeling that you are seriously exposed, with almost no safety elements for protection. As I hurtle towards the first chicane it’s hard to ignore that the car I’m piloting is from an era in which a quarter of the drivers on the grid didn’t make it to the end of the season. As I approach the braking zone, I come off the gas about 50 metres too early, and while I’d like to regale you with tales of late braking heroics, the truth is I never feel confident enough due to the difficulty I’m facing moving my oversized feet. Despite having painfully contorted my toes to fit into race boots that are three sizes too small, I’m still struggling for space. The last thing you want is to not be able to find the brake pedal while nudging 280kph, with only a fibreglass nose protecting your legs. Other than my timidity in the big braking zones though, I continue to up my pace and, as I do so, the Williams starts to feel like a big, massively powerful go-kart, such is the lightness with which it changes direction. There’s also plenty of traction out of the tighter corners and it’s surprising just how early you should commit to the throttle, such is the mechanical grip it possesses.

And then, just as I start to get the hang of things, the engine goes bang. The glorious sound of the V8 is suddenly replaced by silence, as I roll to a stop on the side of the track. Gutted, I climb out of the car rueing the fact that, ‘just like that’, my time in this very special car has prematurely come to an end.

It doesn’t take long for my frown to turn upside down, though, as my weekend gets even more surreal when, over dinner, GP Xtreme team boss, Fred, casually mentions that I will be driving one of the two Benetton B196s that are parked at the back of the garage. I had been under the impression that they were there for display purposes only. Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger raced them during the 1996 season, making them too modern to be considered historic, but the team is planning to run them tomorrow “to make some noise” and add to the spectacle. Holy crap, things just got really serious!

So, as not to interfere with the proper historic cars, the two Benettons will be starting the race from the pit lane rather than the main grid. Thankfully there’s more room for my feet in this one, but that does very little to quell the storm of butterflies that’s rampaging around my stomach. My new race engineer, Pascale, walks to the back of the car, places the external starter in its rear and suddenly the V10 erupts with a harsh violence that jolts through my entire body. Before I’ve got a chance to absorb what’s going on, the pit lane light turns green and I’m waved out onto the track. I dip the tiny hair-trigger clutch, pull the right paddle shifter, raise the revs to about 5000rpm and bunny hop my way off the line, barely avoiding an embarrassing stall. The security of being in a virtually indestructible carbon monocoque means – unlike the Williams – safety is not on my mind, and after a couple of laps to get some heat into the tyres and brakes, I start to drive the Benetton like I mean it.

It’s hard to put the violence of the acceleration into words; it’s everything I imagined it would be and much, much more. The force with which I’m pinned back into my seat is hard to comprehend and, without realising it, I break out into maniacal laughter, such is the ridiculousness of the sensation produced by the combination of 800bhp and 600kg. If someone were to hear the noises coming from underneath my helmet they would think I was mad. Not that anyone would be able to hear me though, as the glorious V10 shriek emitting from behind my head is so loud it hurts my ears, despite the fact I’m wearing earplugs. My ears aren’t the only thing taking a beating though, as my neck is pounded into submission every time I hit the carbon brakes. The retardation is so immense it’s hard to keep my head from dipping, yet I’m sure I’m barely scratching the surface of the abilities of this incredible car. Through the corners I throw the car in at speeds my brain is telling me aren’t possible, yet it shrugs off my best efforts and remains nothing but planted. You can actually feel the downforce sucking the car to the ground – the physical effort needed to drive this relatively modern F1 car is shocking, and while I am disappointed when I see a pit-board signifying the end of my run, I’m not sure if my neck could have handled many more laps.

With my time in these truly remarkable cars coming to an end, it’s striking how incredibly large the gap in performance and safety is after two decades of Formula 1 development. Both eras are extremely special in their own way, but the older cars have a charm and character of their own that you can’t help but gravitate towards. It’s particularly special to see these pieces of Formula 1 history being driven in the contrasting, futuristic setting of the Yas Marina Circuit. I leave with an even bigger respect for the immense bravery of F1 drivers of the 1970s, racing these cars at places like Spa and the old Nurburgring. Meanwhile driving the Benetton gave me a new found perspective of the sheer violence experienced when racing a modern Formula 1 car.

The first edition of the Gulf Historic race has been a truly special event that will only grow bigger and better in the years to come. For me though, I’ll always remember it as the time I got to realise a dream – not once, but twice.

We cannot display this galleryMcLaren Newport Beach has ordered 10 570S-based cars, badged MSO X, from McLaren Special Operations. The bespoke cars are designed to imitate the 570S GT4 race car. All 10 cars in the MSO X series will be clad in race liveries inspired by McLaren F1 GTR racers and wear functional aerodynamic addenda as seen on the 570S GT4. They’re road legal, but they have also all been sold.

Leading the aerodynamic restyle is the rear-wing, which generates almost 100kg of downforce. Meanwhile, the carbonfibre roof intake – eliciting memories of the McLaren F1 GTR – enhances the induction bark as well as channelling more air to the 3.8-litre, twin-turbocharged engine. Spent gases then exit through a new MSO titanium sports exhaust while Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres have been fitted to make the best use of the extra downforce.

Sparsely appointed, the cabin looks like that of a race car with a pronounced carbonfibre theme. The exposed carbon tub ties in with more visible carbon on the bucket seats, sills, centre console and a bulkhead that features stowage space for a race helmet. Six-point harnesses also tie-in with the motorsport theme running through the MSO X, however three-point seat belts are fitted too.

A suite of cameras and a telemetry system feature, so you can review your track sessions in detail. There are also parking sensors, a rear view camera, nose lift and a race-spec air conditioning system.

Chassis no. 8 in the MSO X series is finished in anniversary white with red and blue accents – this is a reworking of the livery applied to the F1 GTR Longtail chassis no. 26R which placed third overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1997. For chassis no. 10 MSO X adopts a much darker colour scheme, with black and grey livery, inspired by the F1 GTR chassis no. 01R that raced and finished first overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995.

Speaking about the cars, Jolyon Nash, McLaren Automotive Executive Director, Global Sales and Marketing said, “The MSO X collection is the perfect example of the rich vein of bespoke service offered by McLaren Special Operations. Customers come to us with their thoughts and ideas and MSO works with them to set boundaries within which they can then let their imaginations run wild. What could be better than a McLaren buyer playing the role of ‘race engineer’ in briefing the MSO team and directing them to test and validate those ideas to create a race-bred road car such as this?”

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/new-limited-edition-mclaren-mso-x-race-inspired-570s-supercar/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/01/mclaren-mso-x-08-anniversary-white_red-and-blue-accents-01-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegXavier Foj – an interview with a Dakar Rally veteranhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/xavier-foj-interview-dakar-rally-veteran/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/xavier-foj-interview-dakar-rally-veteran/#respondMon, 15 Jan 2018 09:20:23 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=110504We meet one of the most successful off-road racers of all time and veteran of no fewer than 27 Dakar rallies – Xavier Foj What does a man who is officially a legend look like? You might expect some sort of Leviathan, a character striding straight out of the pages of a DC Comic. But […]

]]>We meet one of the most successful off-road racers of all time and veteran of no fewer than 27 Dakar rallies – Xavier Foj

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What does a man who is officially a legend look like? You might expect some sort of Leviathan, a character striding straight out of the pages of a DC Comic. But Xavier Foj is a relatively diminutive 58-year-old. He’s clearly physically fit (he doesn’t smoke or drink) but, weighing around 63kg, standing 170cm tall in his Sparco racing boots and with grey hair cut short, he looks more like an architect. Which he is.

Foj is one of just six inductees into the Dakar Legends club. Names such as Peterhansel, Roma and Despres are relatively well-known to anyone with even a passing interest in the most famous of rally raids, but Foj is hardly recognised outside his native Spain. Yet he has competed in 27 Dakar rallies, winning his class twice, standing on the class podium nine times and completing the rally for 13 consecutive years. He hopes 2018 will be number 14.

He first competed in the rally in 1991, using a truck from the family limestone quarry near Barcelona. He continued in the T4 category initially (three times as a co-driver) but has since settled largely on the T2 category for series production vehicles, using a Toyota Land Cruiser. We recently caught up with him to discuss his Dakar highs and lows.

What do you remember of that first Paris-Dakar in 1991?

The immensity of the desert. At that time there was no GPS. And sometimes you lose the tracks and are alone, nobody’s there. You ask the co-driver, are you sure we are going in the good direction? They check the road book. Yes. When we arrive at the horizon… the same immensity again. Nobody’s there. Eventually, you find the tracks and you arrive at the point, but the immensity of the desert was the most impressive thing. Because if you are lost, you are lost. You feel so little.

Why do you say the stages are harder in South America than Africa?

January is summer in South America so there are some days where it is 45 or 50 degrees [Celsius] outside. Inside the car, much more. Also the altitude: 3000, 4000, 5000 metres. The engine doesn’t work, a lot of people don’t work, so you have to take it easy. The stages are also much faster because there are more very good cars and very good tracks and much more assistance because it’s easier to do assistance. So, in the stages, it’s worse, but in the bivouacs, in the liaisons, there is everything: gas stations, tarmac, hospitals, spare parts. You live better.

What’s the biggest challenge with the T2 category?

The biggest challenge is to drive fast and not break anything. You can’t change or repair anything, from front differential, rear differential, gearbox, transfer, turbo, engine… This is a real production and marathon race.

Do you have a particular type of terrain that you enjoy?

Nowadays, you only enjoy the Dakar when you finish! I have skills on the dunes, but I don’t enjoy.

Why is it difficult starting further back in the field?

When the trucks arrive [and overtake] they rip the piste more than half a metre deep. And they are wider than you, so you have one wheel on top [and one in a rut]. A lot of truck drivers are crazy. They barge you off the piste. They overtake hors-piste, too, because they have the power, the big wheels, the suspension… After that, you can see nothing [because of the dust] so you have to stop.

What was your worst Dakar moment?

The worst was when a biker died in my lap. It was in 1997 and I was in a racing Unimog. I had seen a bike and the biker was not there. After 50 metres I saw some colours in the bush. He was lying there breathing harshly with open eyes. When the doctors arrived they cut all his clothes and I was helping, but after 40 minutes the doctors said, he is dead. Forty-two years old. Married. Child. It was his dream to take part in the rally.

You are a Dakar Legend, but do you have any heroes?

Peterhansel. He is very clever. He wins the stage he has to win. Also, his skills as a biker are incredible but he is not a biker that becomes a driver, he’s a real driver.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/xavier-foj-interview-dakar-rally-veteran/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/01/Xavier-Foj-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegDakar Rally 2018 – cars, drivers and latest newshttps://www.crankandpiston.com/dakar-rally-2018-cars-drivers-latest-news/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/dakar-rally-2018-cars-drivers-latest-news/#respondTue, 09 Jan 2018 12:28:58 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=110369Daily updates and highlights from the 2018 Dakar Rally. The 40th Dakar Rally kicked off on 6 January. Formerly known as the Paris Dakar after its historic start and finish locations, the endurance race is divided into 14 stages and will take entrants 8850 kilometres through South America, starting in Lima, Peru before crossing into […]

The 40th Dakar Rally kicked off on 6 January. Formerly known as the Paris Dakar after its historic start and finish locations, the endurance race is divided into 14 stages and will take entrants 8850 kilometres through South America, starting in Lima, Peru before crossing into Bolivia and finishing up in Cordoba, Argentina.

Consistent with the rally raid competition format, the Dakar is a multi-day race event made up of long off-road stages. The vehicles participating include cars, trucks, bikes and quad bikes that can be run by manufacturer works teams, private individuals or standalone motorsport outfits. Of course, we’ll be focusing on the car-side of things. Keep an eye on this page for live Dakar updates and results from each day of the Dakar race.

Latest news

Day 1 – Lima to Pisco

The opening stage of the rally took competitors 140 kilometres down the west coast of Peru, from Lima to Pisco, before a 19-mile long special stage. Toyota Gazoo Racing SA finished in the top two spots, with Al-Attiyah 16 minutes ahead of Ten Brinke in the team’s sister car. Nicolas Fuchs completed the top three in the Borgward BX7.

Dakr Rookie, Bryce Menzies impressed, edging out his experienced Mini X-Raid teammate Nani Roma by 15 seconds on the special stage to finish 4th. Team Total Peugeot didn’t fare so well: Peterhansel, their highest placed driver, finished 11th, five places ahead of Sainz, and Sebastian Loeb lost his brakes just 3 kilometres in, forcing him down into 27th overall.

Reviewing the first day, Peterhansel said, ‘I didn’t feel comfortable with the headlamps so high. I wasn’t very confident, so I drove like a granny. I spent the entire stage on the defensive. Proportionally, we conceded lots of time to Nasser. Two minutes in 30 kilometres is a big deal. We need to ease into the race, things will work out.’

Day 2 – Pisco

Team Total Peugeot’s fortunes changed on the second day, taking first, second and third through Despres, Peterhansel and Loeb respectively. 90 per cent of the Pisco-based, 165 mile stage was off-track, putting co-drivers’ navigational skills to the test. This was a problem for Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s, Al-Attiyah, whose co-driver fell ill after just 14 kilometres of the stage, causing them to cross the line 9th on the second day and pushing them down into 5th overall.

After two days’ racing, Despres was top ahead of Pertehanel with Loeb climbing up to 4th after his disappointing opening stage. The rally legend said, ‘I think we posted a decent time and we won’t be opening the road tomorrow, so I think it will be alright. We always follow the track, even though we sometimes suspect that it’s not the right one. But we stay the course because we don’t want to lose it. Our goal is to make it out of Peru in one piece. Failing to find a waypoint can cost you dearly.’

Less than three kilometres into the second stage, Bryce Menzies rolled his X-Raid Mini Buggy (see below), undoing his impressive work yesterday and forcing him to retire with the buggy deemed irreparable and his co-driver suffering a broken ankle. Recalling the accident Menzies said, ‘We hit it pretty fast; it just unloaded the rear and stuck the front bumper, and I think we flipped seven or eight times’.

Dakar drivers

The mix of cars and drivers should ensure the competition will be as fierce as ever with 105 driver and co-driver pairings in the car classes this year. Team Total Peugeot will be fielding a strong driver lineup: thirteen-time Dakar winner Stephane Peterhansel, nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz Snr – father of Torro Rosso F1 driver Carlos Sainz – will all pilot their own Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxis.

Many other drivers with plenty of Dakar experience will be returning in their search for further glory. Nasser Al-Attiyah is hoping to complete a hat-trick of victories while driving for Toyota GAZOO Racing SA, and X-Raid’s Nani Roma will want to build on his past success in the Mini John Cooper Works Rally having won in 2014.

Driving the X-Raid John Cooper Works Buggy, Bryce Menzies, three-time Trophy Truck champion in TORC (The Off-road Championship) has been tipped for success. He had planned to race in the 2017 installment but a crash and the resulting injuries rendered him unfit for entry, but he comes into this year’s race with quiet expectation.

Dakar cars

Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxi

The Maxi is an evolution of the 3008 DKR that gifted Peugeot victory in 2017. The biggest change has seen the suspension track widened by 200mm to improve the Maxi’s stability and handling. Mid-mounted within the Maxi’s steel tubular spaceframe chassis is a 3-litre twin-turbo diesel engine producing 335bhp and 590lb ft of torque. It drives the rear-wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. With a 400-litre fuel tank, the Maxi should be able to push towards its 200kph top speed for long periods.

Mini John Cooper Works Rally/Buggy

Two derivatives of Mini will be taking on the Dakar, the all-new Buggy and returning Rally. Both have a BMW straight-six diesel engine producing 335bhp and 590lb ft of torque, but whereas the Rally has a four-wheel drive system, the Buggy is two-wheel drive. Engineering efforts haven’t centered exclusively around the new Buggy though, for this year’s event the Rally has revised suspension and is lighter, too.

Toyota Hilux

The Hilux has reverted to four-wheel drive after a two-wheel drive setup was used in the 2017 car, but the gearbox and naturally aspirated V8 engine have been recycled. The powertrain has, however, been reconfigured to improve performance. The suspension has also been modified to accommodate the change to four-wheel drive, now permitting more suspension travel to improve body control.

Borgward BX7 DKR

The Borgward BX7 gets a petrol engine developing 370bhp and 406lb ft of torque which is deployed through a four-wheel drive system. The presence of twin dampers at each corner should further aid traction by keeping the tyres in contact with the ground more of the time compared to single damper units. The rear brakes, manufactured by Brembo, are water-cooled to maintain optimal operating temperatures and thus maximise braking performance.

Dakar Rally History

Left in awe by his experience in the Libyan desert during the 1977 Abidjan to Nice rally, Thierry Sabine wanted to return there with a rally of his own. He persuaded 182 competitors to sign up for the inaugural Paris Dakar Rally in 1979 and join him on a 6,000-mile journey, passing through five countries over two continents. As you have probably guessed, the race starting in Paris, France and finished in Dakar, Senegal.

While the eponymous start and finish points were fixed for Paris Dakar rallies up until 1992, the route often changed. From 1993, the start and finish locations began to vary as well, with South Africa, Spain and Portugal all featuring. Africa always constituted the bulk of the route up until 2008. In that year, a terrorist attack in Mauritania forced organisers to cancel the event as the route was planned to pass through that country. Since then, the ‘Dakar Rally’ has been held in South America.

Mitsubishi has become the most successful car manufacturer in Dakar history with twelve wins, double that of Peugeot which has the second most. Stephane Peterhansel is the most decorated Dakar driver and rider in history with thirteen victories. His first win came with Yamaha in 1991, before he went on to claim more titles with Nissan, Mitsubishi, BMW, Mini and Peugeot.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/dakar-rally-2018-cars-drivers-latest-news/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/01/Dakar-Rally-2018-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegPeugeot Sport 308TCR revealed – 308 GTi based racing car to compete in 2018https://www.crankandpiston.com/peugeot-sport-308tcr-revealed-308-gti-based-racing-car-compete-2018/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/peugeot-sport-308tcr-revealed-308-gti-based-racing-car-compete-2018/#respondThu, 04 Jan 2018 11:54:22 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=110125Developed from the Peugeot 308 Racing Cup car, the 308TCR will line up against a myriad of rivals in the TCR class. Peugeot Sport has revealed the updated 308TCR racing car that’s due to line up against rivals from Volkswagen, Audi and Honda among others in TCR compatable racing series in 2018. Based heavily on the 308 GTI by Peugeot Sport road car, […]

]]>Developed from the Peugeot 308 Racing Cup car, the 308TCR will line up against a myriad of rivals in the TCR class.

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Peugeot Sport has revealed the updated 308TCR racing car that’s due to line up against rivals from Volkswagen, Audi and Honda among others in TCR compatable racing series in 2018.

Based heavily on the 308 GTI by Peugeot Sport road car, the new 308TCR benefits from a variety of upgrades over the previous 308RC, including new aero and mechanical components. Powered by the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine as the road car, the Peugeot Sport has raised power to 345bhp and 309lb ft of torque through a redesigned induction system, exhaust and turbo. The car is designed to cover over 8045 kilometres of competitive driving and Peugeot Sport is confident about the engine’s sustained reliability throughout the term of a the usual touring car season.

Connected to the engine is a new six-speed sequential gearbox, driving the front wheels. The 308TCR also benefits from significantly wider front and rear track widths and a new ball joint suspension set-up complete with adjustable anti-roll bars. Chunky six-piston brakes at the front sat behind new 18-inch wheels take care of stopping duties too.

Designed in partnership between Peugeot Sport and PSA’s Paris-based Centre de Style Peugeot, the 308TCR’s bodywork has been fashioned to accommodate the wider tracks, as well as generate more downforce to provide improved directional stability at high speeds. This is achieved with the usual combination of a massive front splitter, flat underfloor and an aggressive rear wing and diffuser combo.

Priced at $131,370 before local taxes, the 308TCR, like its rivals, has been designed to keep costs down for teams. This partly explains the TCR class’ recent rise in popularity with small to medium sized racing teams. Eligible for multiple international touring car series’ as well as international endurance races like the Le Mans 24, the TCR series is becoming a key route for manufacturers looking to instill their hot hatches with some form of real racing pedigree.

Alongside new-for-2018 rivals like the Hyundai i30 N TCR and Renault Megane RS TCR, this middle-ground class is set to be one of the more diverse international racing classes in what promises to be an action packed 2018.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/peugeot-sport-308tcr-revealed-308-gti-based-racing-car-compete-2018/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2018/01/Peugeot-Sport-308TCR-revealed-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegInside WIlliams – the people, cars and moments that made the F1 team greathttps://www.crankandpiston.com/inside-williams-people-cars-moments-made-f1-team-great/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/inside-williams-people-cars-moments-made-f1-team-great/#respondThu, 28 Dec 2017 07:50:32 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=109962Spectacular innovation is the norm for racing outfit Williams. We chart the cars and the people that have made it a motorsport legend Williams Grand Prix Engineering celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017. Established by Frank Williams in 1977 from the bones of Wolf-Williams Racing (itself formerly Frank Williams Racing Cars), it has defied its […]

]]>Spectacular innovation is the norm for racing outfit Williams. We chart the cars and the people that have made it a motorsport legend

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Williams Grand Prix Engineering celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017. Established by Frank Williams in 1977 from the bones of Wolf-Williams Racing (itself formerly Frank Williams Racing Cars), it has defied its independent status by becoming one of the most successful Formula 1 teams of all time. It sits third, in fact, behind Ferrari and McLaren, but unlike either of those teams, Williams has never sold road cars to fund its racing efforts, instead – as the team itself puts it – it exists purely to race in the top echelon of motorsport, F1.

The team has taken nine constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships, and boasts a personnel roster that has included some of F1’s biggest names. Drivers such as Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna have all raced for the Wantage-based team, and that impressive roll call is only likely to increase as the team now works hard to regain its competitive streak.

Williams has enjoyed plenty of success outside Formula 1, too, tackling everything from Group B rally monsters to Le Mans-winning prototypes, achieving considerable success in touring cars, and working with the newly reformed Jaguar Racing to engineer one branch of motorsport’s future: Formula E cars. With further arms in aerospace, defence, the energy sector and automotive engineering under the Williams Advanced Engineering banner, the company’s contribution outside F1 can almost match its presence within the racing world.

Here we take a closer look at a handful of key people and moments from the team and company’s first four decades…

Adrian Newey

Employed by Williams between 1991 and 1996, F1 engineer Newey has a career in the sport as illustrious as any driver’s. In recent years he’s become known for his contribution to Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel’s dominance, and prior to that he helped Mika Häkkinen score titles in 1998 and 1999, along with a constructors’ win for McLaren in ’98. But perhaps his best work was with Williams – in 1991 his then-new FW14 scored multiple victories in the hands of Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese, and in 1992 the revised FW14B, one of the most advanced Grand Prix cars ever, dominated, with Mansell taking nine victories and Williams ten wins from 16 rounds. Prost then won in 1993, Damon Hill came close in 1994, and after a difficult ’95, the Patrick Head and Newey-designed FW18 was again dominant: between them, Hill and Jacques Villeneuve won 12 of the season’s 16 races.

Regazzoni Victory – 1979

From its debut in 1977, Williams was almost immediately on the pace. The season itself was a learning year with Patrick Nève, but the hiring for the ’78 season of Australian Alan Jones – who would subsequently take the title with Williams in 1980 – quickly brought points and podiums. Yet it was Swiss star Clay Regazzoni who gave Williams its first victory, at the 1979 British Grand Prix.

Teammate Jones had put his Williams on pole and the two diced in the early laps, but a series of retirements, Jones included, put Regazzoni up front, where he took victory by 24 seconds over Renault driver René Arnoux. As if to prove the abilities of both himself and the Williams-Ford FW07, Jones took a hat-trick of victories in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, and another in Canada, landing him third in the 1979 standings.

FW14B

The early to mid-1990s was a purple patch for Williams Grand Prix Engineering, and the FW14B remains one of the most successful F1 cars of all time. A revision of the Adrian Newey-designed FW14 that dominated the mid-to-latter stages of the 1991 season, the FW14B of 1992 was a technical marvel. Power came from a 3.5-litre Renault V10 – rumoured to make as much as 30bhp more than rival engines – while Nigel Mansell made best use of the newly introduced active suspension to take nine wins and secure the championship with six races remaining. The suspension allowed the car to run at the perfect height for both straights and corners, and Mansell and the FW14B just clicked: in his home race at Silverstone, the Brit’s pole position time was a full 1.9sec ahead of teammate Patrese’s best, and he in turn was nearly eight tenths ahead of Ayrton Senna’s McLaren.

Latest Win Maldonado – 2012

Few of Williams’ signings have been quite as controversial as Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan, widely derided as a chequebook driver, showed undoubted pace during his time in F1, but also continued his dubious reputation for calamity in lower series with a string of incidents, collisions, penalties and fines. All of that was briefly forgotten at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2012, where Maldonado showed his other face: that of someone with the pace and resolve to put the car on pole and lead from lights to flag. In the process he fended off Fernando Alonso, took his only F1 race win, and broke an eight-year Williams drought since Juan-Pablo Montoya’s victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2004. The team hasn’t won since, but Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas have managed to score several podiums in recent years.

Damon Hill

If you’re ever faced with someone complaining about a single team dominating F1, then remind them that such situations have occurred nearly as often as they haven’t. In 1996 the driver pairing of Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve took 12 victories from the available 16 races, making the FW18 one of the team’s most successful chassis. And it was the Brit who had the upper hand, scoring eight of those wins and revelling in the FW18’s reliability, strong Renault engine and Newey- designed aerodynamics. Few will forget Murray Walker’s lump-in-throat moment as Hill – always something of an underdog, supporting Prost in ’93, leading the team after Senna’s death in ’94, and narrowly losing out to Schumacher that same season – took his only title in Japan. Tough times followed, but Hill and Williams did everything they needed to in 1996.

Outside the F1 paddock

Williams’ roster of extra-curricular activities is nearly as impressive as its GP results. Did you know, for instance, that it developed the mighty MG Metro 6R4 rally car in 1984, and the Le Mans-winning BMW V12 LMR of 1999? Few will forget Williams’ impact on the British Touring Car Championship in the 1990s – when it took over Renault’s team in 1995, it turned the already competitive Laguna into a championship winner, resulting in driver and manufacturer titles in 1997. The early ’90s also saw the launch of the Renault Clio Williams, though this one wasn’t actually a Williams product, instead being the work of Renault Sport. More recently, the firm’s expertise has seen it develop flywheel hybrid systems, as used in the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid, and work with Jaguar in Formula E and Nismo on the GT-R.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/inside-williams-people-cars-moments-made-f1-team-great/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2017/12/92-hungary-mansell-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegRally legend Sebastian Loeb is returning to the WRChttps://www.crankandpiston.com/rally-legend-sebastian-loeb-returning-wrc/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/rally-legend-sebastian-loeb-returning-wrc/#respondThu, 21 Dec 2017 07:10:40 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=109748After a four season hiatus, Loeb will return to the WRC in a Citroen C3 with co-driver Daniel Elena. French nine-time WRC champion Sebastian Loeb has signed on with Citroen for a return to the sport after a four-year hiatus. Loeb will race in Mexico, Spain and Corsica alongside his long-time co-driver Daniel Elena. The […]

]]>After a four season hiatus, Loeb will return to the WRC in a Citroen C3 with co-driver Daniel Elena.

French nine-time WRC champion Sebastian Loeb has signed on with Citroen for a return to the sport after a four-year hiatus. Loeb will race in Mexico, Spain and Corsica alongside his long-time co-driver Daniel Elena.

The pair will drive the Citroen C3 WRC alongside Britain’s Kris Meeke, who will compete in all 13 rounds with co-driver Craig Breen. Loeb’s close involvement with Citroen Racing has continued despite his tenure outside of the sport that has seen him competing for fellow PSA-group racing team Peugeot Sport in Rally raid events like the Paris-Dakar and Silk Road Rallies.

Gathering a total of 78 WRC round wins over the course of his career, Loeb is arguably the most iconic modern rally driver and certainly the most successful. Having spent a small amount of time in the current WRC car last year, Loeb has admitted that the temptation to return to the sport was too much to resist.

Loeb remarked: “I don’t have any expectations, I just want to enjoy myself. I thought it made sense to take part in the French round, especially since I’ve always loved racing on Tarmac, although I’m not familiar with the current route of the Tour de Corse.”

The WRC’s revitalisation since the introduction of this year’s new cars has lead to some spectacular racing, with all four major teams, Citroen included, having shown winning pace at some point in the 2017 season. Despite this, Citroen failed to make an impact on the championship standings this year thanks to a lack of consistency compared to Ford’s winning Fiesta and the Hyundai i20 that battled it for the title.

Citroen is hoping for a return to its previous WRC successes, which where thanks in large part to Sebastian Loeb’s winning form. With Citroen Racing director Yves Matton convinced that Loeb has not lost his touch, 2018 could be even more competitive between the WRC’s top teams.

Toyota Gazoo Racing has revealed the GR Super Sports Concept at the 2018 Tokyo Auto Salon. It showcases the developments made by Toyota with its TS050 LMP1 Hybrid WEC race car, the concept sets out to establish a connection between its motorsport activities and its road cars.

The Super Sport’s powertrain is the Toyota Hybrid System – Racing used in the LMP1-H TS050 Hybrid, producing 986bhp courtesy of a twin-turbocharged, 2.4-litre V6 and two hybrid motors. The V6 and two lithium-ion powered motors develop equal power (493bhp), combining the efficiency with the EV system and the ICE’s lean-burn function to balance performance and fuel consumption. Toyota hasn’t revealed a comprehensive specfiaction, so there’s no word on the gearbox, but it’s safe to assume it uses the TS050’s transversely-mounted sequential unit, too.

The Le Mans influence extends to the exterior design, with a heavy emphasis on maximising aero efficiency, with the narrow cockpit, flowing surfaces and a large rear-wing.

Toyota sanctioned the concept to demonstrate its race-developed hybrid technology and confirm its intention for this to filter down its new sports cars going forward. Speaking about the concept and future performance models set to emerge from the new Gazoo Racing sub-brand, such as the forthcoming Supra, President of Toyota Gazoo Racing, Shigeki Tomoyama said, ‘rather than developing production cars into sports cars, we aim to work out how to incorporate the know-how gained from racing and rallying into production cars. This is how sporting competition contributes to Toyota Gazoo Racing’s efforts to make ever-better cars.

‘I hope that the GR Super Sport Concept will give a taste of what we aim to achieve with our next generation sports cars.’ So far the new Gazoo brand has produced the Toyota Yaris GRMN for the UK market, but has big plans going forward to expand Toyota’s performance range.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/toyotas-gazoo-racing-sub-brand-teases-le-mans-inspired-concept/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2017/12/20180112_01_01-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegMini John Cooper Works Dakar rally competitors launchedhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/mini-john-cooper-works-dakar-rally-competitors-launched/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/mini-john-cooper-works-dakar-rally-competitors-launched/#respondThu, 23 Nov 2017 09:52:52 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=108150The Mini John Cooper Works buggy and rally car will attack the Dakar with 335bhp 3.0-litre engines. Mini has revealed a buggy and rally car to contest the Dakar Rally that starts in Lima, Peru on January 6 2018. The duo, built in conjunction with long-time partner X-raid, differ in their approaches to attacking the two-week […]

]]>The Mini John Cooper Works buggy and rally car will attack the Dakar with 335bhp 3.0-litre engines.

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Mini has revealed a buggy and rally car to contest the Dakar Rally that starts in Lima, Peru on January 6 2018. The duo, built in conjunction with long-time partner X-raid, differ in their approaches to attacking the two-week long event. The Mini John Cooper Works Buggy is underpinned by a rear-wheel drive platform, while the Mini John Cooper Works rally car runs all-wheel drive.

Those familiar with the Dakar Rally will recognise the Mini John Cooper WorksRally, which entered the event last year finishing in sixth place. However, the concept has been revised ahead of this year’s South American-based rally, where it’ll be joined by the buggy – which is making its debut.

Both vehicles employ 3-litre twin-turbo straight-six diesel engines based on the B57 architecture used in BMWs including the BMW 5-series and 7-series. This specific application offers 335bhp and a substantial 590lb ft of torque.

The buggy’s exterior bodywork, a combination of CFRP and Kevlar, was the result of a collaborative design effort between X-raid and Mini Design. It covers a bespoke, tubular steel frame engineered to withstand over 8050km worth of brutal racing and, crucially, to offer maximum protection for the drivers and co-pilots.

While four-wheel drive seems the logical choice to tackle the tough terrain, Mini opted to field the rear-wheel drive Buggy to take advantage of the regulations governing drivetrain configurations. In short, the rules have been written to bring performance parity between two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive cars. Talking about the Buggy, X-raid Team Manager Sven Quandt said, ‘this has been the biggest project in our company’s history so far and we have worked extremely hard at it’.

Despite the John Cooper Works Rally being the older of two cars, it has not been ignored going into this year’s event: the chassis construction has been revised permitting greater suspension travel and weight is down too. Referring to the Rally, Team Manager Sven Quandt said, ‘There are tracks and types of terrain where an all-wheel drive has advantages. What is more, our car is extremely reliable’.

Seven Mini, X-raid cars will enter the Dakar, three Buggys and four Rallys driven by pairings hailing from Europe, South America, USA and the Arab Springs.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/mini-john-cooper-works-dakar-rally-competitors-launched/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2017/11/p90285678_highres_mini-john-cooper-wor-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegNew Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE revealedhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/new-aston-martin-racing-vantage-gte-revealed/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/new-aston-martin-racing-vantage-gte-revealed/#respondWed, 22 Nov 2017 10:57:02 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=108080AMR’s new Vantage GTE, derived from the newly revealed Vantage road car, is set to compete in the 2018 WEC Championship. Aston Martin Racing has revealed its 2018 WEC championship contender, the all-new Vantage GTE. Developed in parallel with the new road-going Vantage, it’s hoped the new racing car will be able emulate the record-breaking success of […]

]]>AMR’s new Vantage GTE, derived from the newly revealed Vantage road car, is set to compete in the 2018 WEC Championship.

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Aston Martin Racing has revealed its 2018 WEC championship contender, the all-new Vantage GTE. Developed in parallel with the new road-going Vantage, it’s hoped the new racing car will be able emulate the record-breaking success of its predecessor, the most successful Aston Martin racing car ever.

As with the road car, the new AMR Vantage GTE utilises a 4-litre turbocharged V8 engine from AMG that replaces the current car’s naturally aspirated V8. Built on a lightweight aluminium chassis, the new race car will probably weigh in at somewhere around 1200kg and produce upwards of 500bhp as per the current GTE class regulations.

Designed under the stewardship of Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, the road-going Vantage’s aerodynamic features were easily modified to house the extreme appendages required in the design of a GTE Pro-class car. The track has been significantly widened compared to the road car’s and there is also a massive rear wing and rear diffuser combo at the rear.

Development of the new Vantage GTE is already well underway, with the engineering team based at AMR’s Banbury HQ already having completed 20,920 development kilometres, including a 30-hour stint at the Navarra circuit in Spain.

Aston Martin Racing has also worked with new technical partners such as Alcon and Öhlins in the development of new brakes and suspension for the race car. Michelin, meanwhile, has also been involved in the development of new tyres to maximise the Vantage GTE’s on-track performance, says Aston Martin.

Satisfied with its progress so far, AMR Technical Director Dan Sayers said: “Attention to detail is infinitely better and we’ve moved forwards a long way in terms of mass versus stiffness and centre of gravity.”

Due to hit the track alongside established GTE Pro contenders from manufacturers like Porsche and Ferrari, the AMR Vantage GTE will also have to battle the all-new BMW M8 GTE, which, like the Aston, was developed alongside its production car relative. With the rivals due to hit the track for the first time at Spa in May next year, the 2018 GTE Pro Endurance championship should be an interesting one indeed.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/new-aston-martin-racing-vantage-gte-revealed/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2017/11/aston-martin-racing_2018-vantage-gte_aston-martin-vantage_03-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegFIA and Formula 1 present first set of 2021 powertrain regulationshttps://www.crankandpiston.com/fia-formula-1-present-first-set-2021-powertrain-regulations/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/fia-formula-1-present-first-set-2021-powertrain-regulations/#respondTue, 07 Nov 2017 10:37:01 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=106630Formula 1’s controversial hybrid powertrain set to remain, but focus on lowering development costs and raising drama The FIA, Formula 1’s rights holders Liberty Media, and both current and potential new engine manufacturers have produced the first set of regulations defining the next generation of F1 engines due to be introduced from 2021 season. Today’s […]

]]>Formula 1’s controversial hybrid powertrain set to remain, but focus on lowering development costs and raising drama

The FIA, Formula 1’s rights holders Liberty Media, and both current and potential new engine manufacturers have produced the first set of regulations defining the next generation of F1 engines due to be introduced from 2021 season. Today’s F1 powertrains have been heavily criticised by fans for lacking the aural excitement of yesterday’s ear-splitting V8s, 10s and 12s due to the combination of turbocharging, hybridisation and drop in both capacity and cylinder count. Both the FIA and F1 expect these new regulations to go a long way to fix these issues.

While the engine capacity, cylinder count and layout will stay at 1.6-litre V6, the engine’s maximum rev limit will be increased by 3000rpm to 15,000rpm. The move is an attempt to raise noise levels and make the unit feel more ‘emotional’, although for the fans to hear the benefit the regulators will also need to change the current fuel flow rates.

A further deliverable set out in the meeting held in Paris was the reduction in the huge development costs associated with the current generation of F1 engines and ‘discouraging extreme designs and running conditions’. To this end the complex and costly MGUH component that sits in the exhaust ahead of the turbocharger will be scrapped, reducing the number of major components comprising the drivetrain down to five. A great deal of Mercedes’ performance advantage in recent seasons has been put down to the Brackley team’s successful integration of this unit.

While the MGUH will be dropped, the MGUK is to be further developed to focus on giving the driver more control over energy deployment during a race, providing the option to save energy over several laps to give more control over racing tactics. Connected to the V6 petrol engine, the MGUK recovers energy during the braking phase, which is stored in the batteries ready for deployment.

Further dimensional size and weight constraints will be introduced for the single turbocharger and the energy store and control electronics will be standardised further. These changes have been developed around a continued desire to reduce fuel usage, although specific deliverables in this respect won’t be nailed down until the final specifications are released later in 2018.

A key contributor to the talks were both current and prospective F1 engine suppliers, including Aston Martin, who are said to be encouraged by the suggestions put forward. Details will continue to be nailed down over the next 12 months. With the intention of attracting new engine suppliers and maintaining diversity within F1, it remains to be seen if these current suggestions go far enough to compel those on the edge of losing interest to remain loyal to the sport. And we won’t know if they have had the desired results until 2021.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/fia-formula-1-present-first-set-2021-powertrain-regulations/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2017/11/1481552672036-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegFerrari FXX-K EVO – Ferrari’s track only FXX-K features tweaked aero and less weighthttps://www.crankandpiston.com/ferrari-fxx-k-evo-ferraris-track-fxx-k-features-tweaked-aero-less-weight/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/ferrari-fxx-k-evo-ferraris-track-fxx-k-features-tweaked-aero-less-weight/#respondMon, 30 Oct 2017 12:13:05 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=106276Ferrari FXX-K EVO loses some weight and gains a new aero pack to make it even quicker on track Ferrari has given the LaFerrari-based FXX-K track-only supercar a few tweaks in the aero and weight departments, following a similar upgrade format to that applied to its previous FXX and 599FXX models. Called FXX-K EVO, this latest XX Ferrari is […]

]]>Ferrari FXX-K EVO loses some weight and gains a new aero pack to make it even quicker on track

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Ferrari has given the LaFerrari-based FXX-K track-only supercar a few tweaks in the aero and weight departments, following a similar upgrade format to that applied to its previous FXX and 599FXX models. Called FXX-K EVO, this latest XX Ferrari is arguably the most extreme customer car to ever roll out of the factory.

Ferrari says the upgrades have been focused around a reduction in weight and an increase in downforce, the former achieved through further refinement of the carbonfibre manufacturing process. Taking inspiration from its Formula One racing team, Ferrari has not mentioned any specific figures in regards to the weight loss.

This weight reduction is made even more impressive by the fact the FXX-K EVO also features additional aerodynamic components like a new fixed rear wing, a rear clamshell mounted central fin and canards fitted to the front bumper.

Producing 640kg of downforce at 200kph, the EVO package represents an increase of 23 per cent compared to the standard FXX-K and 75 per cent on the LeFerrari road car. The new fixed bi-plane rear wing, extending the full distance between the normal car’s rear prongs, brings about the bulk of this improvement. After over a year’s testing and refinement in simulations and the wind tunnel, downforce produced is comparable to that of a GT3 or GTE racer.

Changes to the front and rear bumpers also contribute to these improvements, with both the front and rear aspects being subtly redesigned to support the more dramatic front splitter and rear diffuser.

Mechanically, the hybrid-assisted V12 is unchanged from the one in the FXX-K, still producing 1020bhp and upwards of 664lb ft of torque. Available in an extremely limited production run or as an upgrade package for existing FXX-K owners, the price is likely to be the EVO pack’s most irrelevant fact for potential buyers.

]]>https://www.crankandpiston.com/ferrari-fxx-k-evo-ferraris-track-fxx-k-features-tweaked-aero-less-weight/feed/0https://www.crankandpiston.com/media/2017/10/fxx-k-evo_10-FEATURED.jpgimage/jpegLewis Hamilton is now four times Formula 1 champion of the worldhttps://www.crankandpiston.com/lewis-hamilton-now-four-times-formula-1-champion-world-1/
https://www.crankandpiston.com/lewis-hamilton-now-four-times-formula-1-champion-world-1/#respondMon, 30 Oct 2017 06:38:53 +0000https://www.crankandpiston.com/?p=106214Scoring enough points to put him on the top of the list, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton just got his fourth F1 world championship. pic | Sutton Images After last night’s Mexico GP, Lewis Hamilton finished in 9th position, gaining 2 points, just enough to get him the world championship, as Sebastian Vettel who was second […]

After last night’s Mexico GP, Lewis Hamilton finished in 9th position, gaining 2 points, just enough to get him the world championship, as Sebastian Vettel who was second in line had to leave the race, making it not possible for him to gather enough points to retake the championship.

Hamilton is now one of the only three drivers who achieved a four-times championship in history, with Alain Prost, and Vettel being four-timers. Will we see him aiming at another championship next year? I just hope he doesn’t surprise us the same way Nico Rosberg did with his retirement last year.

Lewis did post this earlier on his Facebook page, expressing his joy just after the announcement:

“As a kid, I always dreamt of being in Formula 1. I never lost sight of that dream, even when people said it would be impossible. I stand here now with 4 World Championships and am proof that if you follow your dreams with everything you have, they can come true. I am so grateful to all 1,500 people in my Team who all have a dream of making the best F1 car and tirelessly make that dream a reality. My fans, #TeamLH, I would not be here without you. You’ve carried me through adversity and shared my joy in moments such as these. Truly, thank you. We are all rising together and I am so excited for what our future brings together.”